Jumping the Broom Meaning | Wedding Tradition | Jump the Broom

Since enslaved individuals were not given traditional marital rights, for many, jumping the broom was the next best way of blessing the marriage and declaring the union. “This practice is well attested as a marriage ceremony for slaves in the Southern United States in the 1840s and 1850s who were often not permitted to wed legally,” says Gebreyes Endale. “The act symbolizes a new beginning and a sweeping away of the past, and can also signify the joining of two families or offer a respectful nod to family ancestors.” In fact, even after slavery ended, some descendents still chose to jump the broom to validate their marriage in lieu of having an officiant.