Kuxinza
An ^lternat,ve Holiday Celebration
r'osi Hiatt writer
December 26 will find much
of the nation coping with the
wreckage of wrapping paper,
tinsel and broken toys that is
an aftermath of Christmas
day For some black house
holds, however, it is the first
day of an alternative holiday
celebration - Kwanza.
Meaning “first fruit," K
wanza began in Africa centu
ries ago When the advent of
the civil rights movement of
the sixties brought with it a
renewed search for cultural
identity among American
blacks, which continues til
now, some of them began to
substitue Kwanza for the tra
ditional Christmas-New Year
celebration of the western
world.
The seven days of Kwanza
last from December 26 throu
gh January 1, which is the
time of harvest in Africa - thus
the name "first fruit.” Each
day of the celebration is dedi
cated to a basic value such as
unity, creativity and faith.
The entire week consists of
feasting, dancing and reli
gious expression by the parti
cipants and is heavy with
At such a celebration in New
York about 5 years ago, a local
man, Harold Parks, looked at
some of the principals Kwanza
embodied and decided to ma
ke it “his holiday.” Since then
he has sent Kwanza greetings
to friends at holiday time but
often found it difficult to ob
tain the cards in Charlotte.
“I nurtured the idea of
producing my own for a whi
le,” Parks said, “and T.J.
(Reddy) and 1 kicked the idea
around between us off and on.
But it was our 'sudden unem
ployment’ last June that pro
vided the necessary shove to
-get us started.”
Parks was director of a
program at Central Piedmont
designed to aid first offenders
to find jobs and schooling as
an alternative to prison, and
T.J. Reddy was employed
with him as a counselor. The
program was not re-funded
after it’s first year of opera
UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN
...Traditional Card
non.
The two formed a company
named Freedoms Insight Li
mited and had the first cards
ready for distribution in Octo
ber.
The line consists of Kwanza
cards, with their message of
"creative growth and produc
tivity”; wedding and birth
announcements, invitations,
birthday cards for mothers
and Thanksgiving cards.
Some are suitable for use by
those observing the traditional
Christmas holiday.
Each of the 16 different
designs are "developed from
an African perspective" and
use illustrations based on Afri
can motifs. An effort is made
to “underscore the distinctly
African principles of family
hood, collective work, creati
vity, harmonious movement
and struggle for the common
good,” according to a bro
enure explaining the philoso
phy behind the cards.
Much of the graphics (art
work) is done by Reddy, an
accomplished artist and au
thor, and Katie Henderson, a
local woman, is responsible
for some. The two partners
collaborate on verses. Reddy
concentrates mainly on pro
duction ; while Parks works on
distribution, which has proven
somewhat difficult.
Explaining the difficulty,
Parks said, “I quickly discov
ered you don’t walk in and
show the cards and see them
placed on the shelves, just like
that. No, no. First you haye to
get an appointment with the
buyer, who’s always off in
Atlanta or California or some
where, and then when you
finally see him he tells you he
likes your product but he
ordered for the current season
six months ago. So we decided
to go to smaller outlets within
the community and to hit as
many department stores as
possible.”
The Intimate Book Store at
Eastland. Ivey’s, Belk’s, Hi-Fi
Camera Center, Plaza Apothe
cary, Bitsy Bounty, LAD Bev
erages and Disco Records,
Ltd. have the cards for sale
locally and Parks has made
trips to several large cities to
open accounts.
Plans for the future include
a new line due out in January
which will include sympathy,
get well, note and family
birthday cards.
The partners also hope to
get into distribution on a large
scale. As Parks explained it,
“There are a lot of beautiful
cards being produced by indi
vidual artists which reflect the
feelings and ideals of the black
consumer but, for various rea
sons, distribution is poor. We
hope to perfect a system whi
ch will correct this situation
since distribution is The Key
To Success.”
Cards and brochures may
be ordered from: Freedoms
Insight Limited, P.O. Box
1294, Charlotte, N.C. 28231.
The cost is $3.99 per dozen plus
10 percent handling charge.
Women Voters
To Meet With
Ken Harris
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg
League of Women Voters will
meet with Mayor Ken Harris
and members of the City
Council to discuss League is
sues at a noon luncheon Thurs
day, December 15.
President Karen Gaddy and
Barbara Mattingly, chairman
of the local energy conserva
tion study, will highlight Lea
gue activities and major con
cerns related to city govern
ment.
The luncheon, open to the
public, will be held at the
Trade Street YWCA, 418 East
Trade.
INew Holiday Makeup For Black Women
..vwiuiug uic ucauiy ecu
tors at GLAMOUR Magazine,
now is the perfect time to dip
into the wonderful new deep
makeup colors you've been
seeing in the stores all fall.
Here are some ideas on how to
use them for a great holiday
face.
For cheeks, try the wine or
ruby reds. You'll get the best
look if you apply color high on
the cheekbone, starting on the
bone under the pupil of your
eye. (If you can’t feel the
cheekbone, you’re applying
the color too low.) Blend out to
the hairline and up just a bit.
For eyes, try some of the
meiauic snaues a
round now. Gold, copper and
bronze are all great on black
skin There are also colored
metallics like deep blue, khaki
and pink. Stay away from
silvery colors as they can look
too white and artificial. Any
shadow that has some brown
in it will look especially pretty
-- for example, browned pink,
peach or khaki. Try applying a
single color so that is has the
most intensity in the crease of
the upper lid and the least just
under the browbone. You can
also use two different colors;
two shades of the same color is
a good idea You could even
rim the eye with a metallic
pencil. You'll get a very pretty
look if you bring the color
under the lower lashes. Keep
it very close to your lashline
and don't extend it beyond the
center of the eye; keep it on
the outer corner only.
For lips, try a deep rich
burgundy, a browned red or a
wine. Use a gloss over it to
enhance fullness or use a
colored gloss. If you want to
make you lips appear less full,
try using a lip pencil to outline
the lips just inside the natural
lipline. Fill in with pretty
r 11
color If you nave uneven
pigmentation in your lip6 - a
common problem for black
women - try applying a bit of
makeup foundation or brown
lipstick to help even out the
color. Then apply lipcolor as
usual.
+ + + Special Effects
You'll find lots of lovely
loose finishing powders in the
stores now in colors like bron
ze. copper or gold. Apply them
subtly to cheekbones, across
the forehead or all over to
dazzle.
Black Cats Have A Ball
Uiauk VHU V/1UU, unv UI
the oldest social clubs in Char
lotte, opened the Christmas
season with a cocktail dance
at the Excelsior Club recently.
Members and their families
and friends enjoyed refresh
ments prepared by Jimmy
McKee and later danced to the
organ music of Lew Currie.
Among those present were
the widows of two former
Blacl^^a^members^Mrs^
uuiuuiy vineima; uwiggins
and Mrs. John H. (Cecelia)
Wilson.
Black Cat members are Gal
veston Haygood, president;
Ray Perry, vice-president;
Carl J. Hunt, secretary; Alex
ander Davis, assistant secre
tary; Harry Mills, treasurer;
C. Arthur Anderson, Harry
Henderson, G.T. Nash, Jr.,
Elvert C. Garvin and Crosby
Byrd.
Merchants Who Advertise In
The Post Are Telling You
They Appreciate Your Busi
ness. fhtrcnize Them!
Car
Insurance
Raying too much
for too little?
. Cal on ua for all your insurance.
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