Genealogy is becoming an important facet of the African American Museum at England Manor to help people learn about their ancestry, so much so that museum founder Sylvia England made it part of the organization’s annual Kwanzaa celebration.
Alisa Monea-Cadette was at the event sitting with a group of people at a table with computers learning about genealogy. She wants to discover more about her family background. Her two daughters were at another table doing an art project. She had a purpose, and they were part of it.
“I learned my grandfather came from Saint Lucia,” Monea-Cadette said. “I thought he came from Trinidad. My next project is learning about my great-grandfather. I’m going to teach all this to my children.”
Monea-Cadette and her children were among more than 100 people at the African American Museum’s annual Kwanzaa celebration Saturday at North Elementary School in Waukegan, where they learned about African American culture in a variety of ways.
The holiday started Thursday, and ends Wednesday.
England said more and more information about the ancestry of African Americans is available, and she made access to it via the internet part of the Kwanzaa event. Getting children involved is part of the process.
“We want to reach out to the community, bring children into it and get them to a place where they are talking about it,” she said. “It is something that can unite all of us.”
After perusing the computer, Monea-Cadette joined her children, Destiny and Lisa, at another table where the youngsters were making their own African-style artifact.
“We’re learning about Africa and what Kwanzaa means,” Destiny, a sixth-grade student, said.
“It’s cool to learn about Africa,” added Lisa, a fifth grader.
At another table, people like Esther Roseborough of Waukegan were writing messages about the day and leaving them for others to read. She said it was an opportunity to both share and learn.
“I’m learning more about my culture,” she said. “I am learning about Kwanzaa so I can be an advocate.”
Edra Stewart was also writing a message at the table. She said it is important people know the story of the individuals who came before them, and how important they are to understanding African American culture.
“We have a lot to learn from the past, and what it can mean in the present,” Stewart said. “It’s important to know who are ancestors were and what they did.”
Besides leaving a message on the table, Stewart was one of seven actors participating in a play written by Glennett Tilley Turner, bringing seven people from Black history together at an imaginary dinner party. Each represented one of Kwanzaa’s seven symbols.
Stewart played the role of Edmonia Lewis, a sculptor of African American and Native-American heritage originally from upstate New York. Born in 1844, she moved to Rome, Italy, where she became an acclaimed sculptor. She spent most of her professional life there.
“She was one of the few women artists of her day,” Stewart said. “I feel a lot of pride being able to tell her story.”
Turner, who was at the event as her play was performed, said it is an important story to tell and is appropriate for Kwanzaa. Along with Lewis, Harriet Tubman, entrepreneur A.G. Gaston, Malcolm X, Carter Woodson, Mary McLeod Bethune and Mary Ann Shadd were portrayed.
“They each represent a principle of Kwanza,” Turner said.
Early in the program, England explained the celebration of the seven-day holiday includes lighting seven candles on a seven-branch candelabra. Each candle symbolizes one of the seven principals of Kwanzaa –Umoja, Kujihagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani.
England said Umoja symbolizes the unity of race, community and family; while Kujihagulia has to do with self-determination and accountability. Ujima deals with collective responsibility and working together to benefit the community.
Ujamaa deals with the cooperative economics of working together to build businesses. Nia is about remembering African and African American history, customs and cultures. Creativity is characterized by Kuumba and Imani is about faith in people.