Get into the Kwanzaa Spirit with The Bottom Knoxville crew. Celebrate community, culture & creativity during the seven-day observance of Kwanzaa. It kicks off on Sunday, Dec. 26th, with Umoja (Unity) Brown Girl’s Brunch RSVP HERE!
New to Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa is an African American & Pan-African holiday celebrating family, community & culture. It is an African word in Swahili, that means “first fruits of the harvest.” Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach, who was searching for ways to bring African-American communities together.
Kwanzaa begins on Dec 26th and ends on Jan 1st, one of the seven principles is celebrated on each of the seven days. MORE HERE
Umoja (Unity): Brown Girl’s Brunch, Sun, Dec 26th, (call for time). Kicking Kwanzaa off with a Shrimp ‘N Grits Brunch. Click above to reserve.
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): Sip ‘n Sew, Mon, Dec 27th, call for time. Make a garment, make a friend while sipping on something from the tea room.
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Tue, Dec 28th, call for time. Gun Safety With PopTenn. Protect Our People Tennessee (POP Tenn) will be providing a community gun safety workshop.
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): Wed, Dec 29th, 8 am – 6 pm. Ujamaa Pop-up Market with local makers and artists. Stop by to support local vendors and mingle. Lunch will be made available by Hood Palate.
Nia (Purpose), Thu, Dec 30th, 8 am-6 pm. Stop by during business hours for a free cup of Chai tea from the Tea Room and socialize.
Kuumba (Creativity): Black Creatives Meetup Karaoke Edition. Fri, Dec 31st, (call for time). Join us for a Lil Karaoke & lots of great vibes, wear your New Year’s Eve best.
Imani (Faith), New Year’s Altar, Sat, Jan 1st (call for time). Join us in sharing intention, vision & faith. Bring something to place on the community first fruits altar.
The Bottom is a nonprofit community center and Black-affirming bookshop at 2340 E. Magnolia Avenue, Knoxville, 37917. Its purpose is to build community, celebrate culture, and engage the creativity of Black people in Knoxville. Click HERE for additional programming and to request The Bottom monthly newsletter. Business hours are 8 am – 6pm, Tuesday – Thursday; 8 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday; 10 am to 2 pm on Sundays, and closed on Mondays. Contact by phone, at 865-444-5915; Email TheBottomKnox@gmail.com; website, thebottomknox.com.
ABOUT: Founded by Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, a local sociologist studying race, place, and Black Communities, The Bottom was named after the Black neighborhood in East Knoxville that was demolished in the 1950s by urban renewal and institutionalized racism. Rooted in community interviews and archival research, her work uncovered a resounding feeling of displacement and loss of space amongst Knoxville’s black elders and youth. Dr. El-Amin wanted to do more than just conduct a study, she wanted to make an impact. A desire that resulted in the formation of The Bottom. Dr. El-Amin’s efforts joined those of other black women in Knoxville who also sought to do meaningful work. Today, The Bottom stands as a collective working to reclaim and reimagine black space in Knoxville. What initially started with a youth sewing and entrepreneurial program in 2019, has grown into a hub of black culture and togetherness. With the support of our community, our center has grown to include, a tea room, podcast studio, expanded sewing studio, and black empowerment bookstore. With the belief that Blackness is neither essentialist nor static, but relational, dynamic and changeable, The Bottom stands as a multi-use place to foster change and provide comfort. The Bottom is the place to get plugged into the local black community, whether you’re local or new to town.