Today marks first day of weeklong celebration of Kwanzaa

(CNN)– Today marks the first day of the week long celebration of Kwanzaa.

The name comes from a Swahili phrase which means ‘first fruits’.

The holiday was created in 1966.

It is a non-religious observation of African Americans’ ancestral roots that celebrates seven core principles including creativity, collective responsibility, self-determination, faith and purpose.

Kwanzaa ends on the first day of the new year.