What is jumping the broom?
Jumping the broom is a meaningful Black wedding tradition. After the couple has shared their vows, they jump over a broom to signify their unity, bless their marriage, and honor their ancestors and culture. The act symbolizes new beginnings and sweeps away the past. In the United States, this tradition is typically only performed by Black couples due to the practice’s roots in slavery. In most ceremonies, the officiant will say a prayer or poem or explain the meaning of the tradition, and the broom will then be placed on the ground for the couple to jump over. Anyone can place the broom on the ground, as there is no traditional person who takes on the role. This tradition had a resurgence with Black Americans after the television mini-series Roots was released in 1977. In Europe, a similar ceremony is often performed at Romani weddings. Some Black couples choose not to jump the broom at their wedding because they don’t like the practice’s ties to slavery and they see it as an archaic tradition. Others see it as a way to honor their ancestors who could not legally get married. It’s ultimately a personal choice.
In Christian ceremonies, it represents a connection with god. If the couple is Christian, the broom handle may represent God while the bristles represent the couple’s families. They then tie a ribbon around the broom to symbolize the ties that bind the couple. In Pagan and Wiccan ceremonies, the broom represents the unity of masculine and feminine energies. The broom handle symbolizes the male phallus while the bristles represent female energy.
History of Jumping the Broom
In the U.S, enslaved couples jumped the broom to get married. Because enslaved people could not legally wed, they used this tradition as an unofficial ceremony. Some say the enslaved people chose to jump the broom because brooms were readily available to them, while others claim the tradition was forced upon them by slave owners as a form of mockery. After slavery ended, some Black couples would jump the broom if an officiate was not available and get legally wed at a later date. Others didn’t believe getting legally wed was necessary and believed jumping the broom was a valid ceremony. The exact origins of the tradition are unknown.
The tradition may have originated in West Africa. In West Africa, people used brooms to ward off evil spirits. According to this origin, the couple’s family members would wave a broom over their heads for good luck, and then place the broom on the ground for the couple to jump over. It is said that the person who jumped the highest would be the household decision-maker.
The Romani also had a version of broom jumping in Wales. In Wales, Romani weddings were not recognized by the church, so they often had “Besom Weddings,” which referred to a type of broom. In these ceremonies, the couple would jump over the broom without touching it to get married, and to have the marriage annulled, they would jump over it backward. Some accounts claim the broom was a hurdle for couples to jump over separately. If the broom fell or either person failed to jump over it, the wedding was canceled because it wasn’t meant to be.
Modern Jumping the Broom Practices
Oftentimes, the broom is passed down through generations. In many modern broom jumping ceremonies, the broom used is a family heirloom. This makes the tradition even more special and personal for the couple, and it allows them to honor their ancestors.
Many brides decorate their brooms. Today, the broom is not a standard household broom. It’s usually 3 feet (0.91 m) long with a wooden handle and natural bristles. The bride adorns the broom with silk ribbons, flowers, beading, and lace. Guests often write their names on decorative paper that is attached to the broom before the ceremony. This signifies the guests’ well wishes for the couple. The bride may also have someone important help decorate the broom, like a mother, sister, daughter, or niece. Many online retailers like Etsy sell pre-made and customizable brooms for the tradition.
Someone important to the couple may place the broom on the ground. While anyone can place the broom for the ceremony, many couples want it to be done by someone important to them. This can be a parent, grandparent, or even the person who introduced the couple to each other. This is an additional way to make the practice even more meaningful.
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