Jumping the Broom

Jumping the broom is one of the most popular older  traditions, that is used here in America very often, at wedding cermonies.  A lot of us have seen it at weddings, but really did not know the meaning or history behind it. During the years of slavery, marriages between slaves were not recognized as legal or binding. The broom jumping ritual was a symbolic act within slave communities for marriage. One misconception is that this ritual was and only done by slaves, but a very small percentage of poor whites in the South and in New England, as well as Gypsies also used this marriage ritual. Today the jumping of the broom is done in respect and in honor of our ancestors who were slaves. The jumping of the broom is a leap of faith into marriage. In some parts of Africa, ceremonial brooms are used to sweep away evil.

The broom jumping typically takes place after the rest of the wedding ceremony, before the bride and groom walk down the aisle.