The History and Meaning of Jumping the Broom

On your wedding day, there are a number of traditions you may choose to partake in, including walking down the aisle, sharing your first kiss as newlyweds, and cutting into your cake together. However, there are also some important customs that are tied to a particular community, serving to pay homage to or represent a couple's heritage or background on the day of their nuptials. For Black brides and grooms, jumping the broom is just that—a tradition steeped in decades of history.

At modern weddings, Black couples participate in the custom of jumping over the broom after they exchange their vows and are officially married. The officiant will typically provide a prayer, poem, or a brief explanation of the meaning of the practice, and the broom will be subsequently placed on the ground for the newlyweds to jump over, says Nicole Harris, the owner and creative director of Dreams in Details. Oftentimes, the duo may elect a special person to be responsible for placing the broom on the ground.

While jumping the broom has become a familiar practice within Black communities, the origins of the tradition are often not as well-known. Here, Harris explains the history and meaning of this important custom, as well as why newlyweds continue to partake in the tradition today.

The History of Jumping the Broom: 4 Potential Origin Stories

The history of jumping the broom is a bit complex, with several conflicting accounts about the origin of the ritual. Some argue that it began in West Africa, as brooms were used as a way to ward off evil spirits. Family or community members would wave a broom over the couple's head, and then place it on the ground for them to jump over. A frequent joke was that whoever had the highest jump was the household decision-maker. 

However, others claim that the tradition actually originated in Wales. In the country, Roma people's marriages were not recognized by the church, so they would have "Besom Weddings," referring to a type of broom. At these weddings, couples would jump over the broom—without touching it—to get married. Additionally, to annul their union, they would do the same action in reverse. Some accounts even note that brooms were placed as a hurdle for couples to jump over separately, and if the broom fell—or if either party did not make it over the broom—the union was considered "not meant to be," and the wedding was canceled.

Within the African American community, brooms were used during the 18th and 19th centuries as a way for enslaved people to get married since they could not legally wed in the eyes of the state. However, there are two different accounts for this origin story. It's generally reported that people who were enslaved decided to jump the broom themselves, as brooms were often readily available. Yet, others argue that enslavers would force enslaved people to get married in this manner. Once slavery was abolished, some Black people decided that they would continue to jump the broom if an officiate was not readily available—and make their marriage legal at a later date.

The significance of the broom itself varies depending on the religious tradition of the couple. For example, in Christian ceremonies, the broom handle represents God, the straw bristles signify the couple's families, and a ribbon around the broom symbolizes the ties that bind the couple. In Pagan ceremonies, it's said that the broom handle represents the male phallus, and the bristles represent female energy.

Jumping the Broom: Modern-Day Practices and Meanings

A resurgence of jumping the broom occurred after it was featured in Alex Haley's novel about slavery, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, in 1976, and in the television mini-series in 1977. While there are different feelings about the tradition, today, many Black couples add the custom into their ceremony. "When African Americans incorporate jumping the broom, it is to pay homage to their culture and legacy," says Harris. "It is a tradition of the ancestors of African Americans, and they want to keep it going because 'jumping the broom' is a major part of their heritage. They also decide to jump the broom to bless the marriage."

Additionally, the broom itself can play a meaningful role in a ceremony, as it is often a family heirloom passed down through multiple generations. And while the broom is not the typical household tool that you have in your home (it's usually three feet long and has a wooden handle with natural bristles), according to Harris, many couples choose to customize their brooms with silk ribbons, flowers, intricate beading, or lace. It's also a popular practice to have guests write their names on decorative paper to attach to the broom before the ceremony begins, representing the loved ones' well-wishes for the marriage.