Day 7 of Kwanzaa

Today's principle is Faith - Imani.

African-American Faith in America, by Larry G. Murphy



Not just Christianity and Islam -- this book also covers Buddhism, Judaism, and other faiths of African Americans from colonial time to the present.

Day 6 of Kwanzaa

Today's principle is Creativity - Kuumba.

Black: A Celebration of a Culture, compiled by Deborah Willis


Black, A Celebration of a Culture, presents the vibrant panorama of 20th-century black culture in America and around the world in more than 500 photographs from the turn of the last century to the present day. Each photograph, hand-picked by Deborah Willis, America's leading historian of African-American photography, celebrates the world of music, art, fashion, sports, family, worship or play. From Saturday night parties to Sunday morning worship, Jessie Owens to Barry Bonds, Ella Fitzgerald to Halle Berry, Black: A Celebration of a Culture is joyous and inspiring.

Day 5 of Kwanzaa

Today's principle is Purpose - Nia.

Spiritual Lessons for My Sisters: How to Get Over the Drama and Live Your Best Life!, by Natasha Munson


Revitalize your spirit with these inspirational lessons from fellow African American women.

Day 4 of Kwanzaa

Today's principle is Cooperative Economics - Ujamaa.

The Covenant with Black America, with an introduction by Tavis Smiley

Six years' worth of symposiums come together in this rich collection of essays that plot a course for African Americans, explaining how individuals and households can make changes that will immediately improve their circumstances in areas ranging from health and education to crime reduction and financial well-being.

Each chapter outlines one key issue and provides a list of resources, suggestions for action, and a checklist for what concerned citizens can do to keep their communities progressing socially, politically, and economically. Though the African American community faces devastating social disparities—in which more than 8 million people live in poverty—this celebration of possibility, hope, and strength will help leaders and citizens keep Black America moving forward.

Day 3 of Kwanzaa

Today's principle is Collective Work and Responsibility - Ujima.

Letters to Young Black Women

Written from a loving father to his daughters, this title deals with all of the issues that young black women face in today's society.

Letters to Young Black Men


This book offers "advice and encouragement for the difficult journey" faced by young black men today.

Day 2 of Kwanzaa

Today's principle is Self-Determination - Kujichagulia.

Don't Play in the Sun: One Woman's Journey Through the Color Complex, by Marita Golden



In a hard-hitting meditation on the role that color plays among African Americans and in wider society, Marita Golden dares to put herself on the line, expressing her fears and rage about how she has navigated through the color complex.

To be sure, this is book is not a pity party—but, rather, a nuanced look at identity, and the irrepressible and graceful will of the human spirit. Peppering her narrative with “Postcards from the Color Complex,” reminiscences of some of the author’s most powerful experiences, Golden takes us inside her world, and inside her heart, to show what a half-century of intraracial and interracial personal politics looks like.

Day 1 of Kwanzaa

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa. In honor of the holiday, we will be highlighting a book from our collection that coincides with each of Kwanzaa's seven principles. Stay tuned all 7 days :-)

Umoja - Unity

Fighting for US: Maulana Karenga, the US Organization, and Black Cultural Nationalism, by Scot Brown

In spite of the ever-growing popularity of Kwanzaa, the story of the influential Black nationalist organization behind the holiday has never been told. Fighting for Us explores the fascinating history of the US Organization, a Black nationalist group based in California that played a leading role in Black Power politics and culture during the late 1960s and early '70s whose influence is still felt today. Advocates of Afrocentric renewal, US unleashed creative and intellectual passions that continue to fuel debate and controversy among scholars and students of the Black Power movement.

Heri za Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa is celebrated annually for seven days, from December 26th - January 1st.

Want to celebrate, but aren't quite sure how to start? Check out The Official Kwanzaa Website for answers to all of your questions!

Holiday Hours

The Crozer Library will be closed for the holidays on:

• Monday, December 25th


• Tuesday, December 26th


• Monday, January 1st


• Tuesday, January 2nd

Happy Holidays!

New Blog on the Block

Hello Everyone,

We are the J. Lewis Crozer Library in Chester, PA. We just started getting into the whole blogging thing. We're on myspace and will soon have a webpage. Feel free to check us out, send us your thoughts, suggest favorite books or authors.