ATLANTA (WAOK) – Today is the first day of the African-American spiritual holiday known as Kwanzaa. From December 26th to January 1st, millions of people worldwide will observe the Pan-African tradition created by California University professor Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966. The word Kwanzaa is Swahili for harvest’s first fruits. The holiday observes principles, practices, and symbols which are geared to the social and spiritual needs of African-Americans.