KINGSTON, RI-December 2, 1998 — The University of Rhode Island invites the campus community and the general public to attend its Fifth Annual Kwanzaa celebration on Friday, December 11 at 6 p.m. at the Multicultural Center, located at 74 Lower College Road, on the Kingston Campus. It is free and open to the public. “We want to invite the URI community to join us in the celebration,” says members of MEGA, the MultiEthnic Graduate Association. “Kwanzaa is a time for fellowship, learning, and sharing.” Coordinated by MEGA, the event celebrates the importance of the African American family, community, and culture. Kwanzaa, a holiday which honors African-American people and their heritage, means “first fruits of the harvest” in Swanhili. It traditionally runs from December 26 to New Years’ Day. Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a black studies professor at California State University at Long Beach who describes himself as a cultural nationalist. Kwanzaa is unique in that it is neither religious, political, nor heroic but rather a cultural holiday. The celebration is based on seven fundamental principles which are referred to as the Nguzo Saba. For more information regarding the URI Kwanzaa celebration, call the Multicultural Center at 874-2851. -xxx- For More Information: Jan Sawyer, 874-2116