The Matthew A. Henson Neighborhood Association held its fourth annual Kwanzaa celebration on Tuesday.
Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration that honors and celebrates the African heritage in African American culture.
"Celebrating Kwanzaa is important because one, we focus on Christmas and New Year's, but we really don't get to focus on our culture, our African American heritage and culture," said event organizer Tiffany Welch. "This give us the opportunity to teach about Kwanzaa principals, about fellowship, about working together."
Kwanzaa was created by Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana studies at California State University in Long Beach, and was was first observed in 1966.
Tuesday's celebration was held on the second day of Kwanzaa at the Matthew Henson Elementary School in West Baltimore.
The observance of the holiday will end on Jan. 1 with a feast and gift giving.
