What is it?
February 13th is an observance of atonement, reconciliation, celebration and a 24-hour demonstration of Black love, recognized as Black Love Day (BLD) in America. Founded in 1993 by Ayo Handy-Kendi, founder/director of the African American Holiday Association, Black Love Day is the 4th nationally commemorated African-American holiday. BLD is an African-centered, alternative to the commercial Valentine’s Day.
The 5 Tenets of Black Love Day
The 5 Tenets of Black Love Day
Love for Self
Love for Family
Love for the Creator
Love for Black People
Love within the Black Community
How do we
observe it?
- Show love for 24 hours.
- Demonstrate the 5 Tenets of Black Love and recommit to the Nguzo Saba, principles of love and unity for the Black Diaspora.
- Display the “Akoma,” an Adinkra symbol of love, patience, goodwill, faithfulness & endurance.
- Give the greeting, “Nya Akoma” (N-yah Ah-Coma) which means “get a heart, be patient!”
- Celebrate with personal love rituals, couple love-ins or community relationship ceremonies.
- Buy conscious love gifts from Black merchants to recycle Black dollars to love our communities.
- Read to learn, grow, and sustain love’s healing power.
More Info on the African American Holiday Association website.
Who founded it?
BLACK LOVE DAY, was not a made-up holiday ('wholyday'). It was delivered to Sister Ayo Handy-Kendi as a Divine "download", upon asking the question out loud, "How can I help to stop violence and increase peace?", as she rode, sitting in the sunlight of a bus, after seeing the Spike Lee movie version of Malcolm X. She heard the Creator speak to her in the sunlight of the bus, and answered, "We need love, more black love." The voice repeated and continued to repeat the same message for the next 40 days, by which time Sister Ayo said, "I got it. Maybe, I should start a Black Love Day for us to love ourselves and take care of ourselves." This birth was January 1, 1993 in Washington D. C., and the first Black Love Day was launched at the Mayor's Office on 3rd Street, N.W. as a wholistic health fair and alternative to Valentine's Day.
Handy-Kendi, A. (n.d.). Black Love Day history. Retrieved from https://www.africanamericanholidays.org/bld-history.html
Purchase the Black Love Book
Nya
Akoma
Though the heart shape is a universal symbol representing love, it is also an Adinkra symbol with a slighty different meaning. As an Adinkra, the heart shape represents patience and tolerance.
In Akan, “Nya akoma,” literally “Get a heart” means take heart–be patient.
Take the Pledge?
Take some time and set your intentions for the day.
Today, I commit myself to showing love to the creator by ___________, to myself by ___________, to my family by__________to members of the Black race by ______________, and to the Black community by______________.
Connect with
Ayo Handy-Kendi
