Image from Jumping the Broom Eliza, a company that makes custom brooms for wedding ceremonies.

The History of Jumping the Broom

The origin of jumping the broom is debated by some, but many will say was born of a wedding tradition in Ghana in which bridal brooms are waved over the couple's head after the ceremony. In the US, the tradition of jumping the broom began during slavery. During that time, slaves were not permitted to legally marry, thus jumping the broom was their way of announcing that they were married and starting a new life together.

Present day, many blacks (and even other cultures) continue this tradition by jumping the broom at the close of their wedding ceremony (or the beginning of the reception). Brooms may be ornately decorated or plain and simple. For many, continuing the tradition is a reminder of the hardships our ancestors endured and symbolic of overcoming those hardships. Others choose not to include the tradition in their ceremony. The 2011 movie Jumping the Broom, named after the tradition, features the showdown between a bride who does not want to jump the broom and a mother-in-law who insists the couple should.