African American Jumping the Broom Ceremony
"Jumping the Broom" is a phrase used by African-Americans to describe the act of marriage. It is an equivalent of the European phrase "tying the knot." The physical act of jumping a broom, which is included in many African-American wedding ceremonies, is often erroneously attributed to the period of slavery in America when slaves were not afforded the legal right of marriage. However, the custom predates that period and was brought with the slaves from Africa.
Other People Are Reading
-
African History
-
Jumping the broom goes all the way back to 18th century Ghana. The ceremony is a part of African culture that has survived for hundreds of years. A broom was believed to sweep away past wrongs and ward off evil spirits. This spiritual belief found its way into the marriage ceremony. A broom was waved over the heads of the bride and groom during the ceremony to ward off evil spirits and to ensure a happy and fruitful marriage.
American History
-
During the period of slavery in the United States, African-Americans were encouraged to turn their backs on their spiritual beliefs, and many became Christians. They were not, however, allowed a traditional European-style wedding and continued on with the tradition of jumping the broom to symbolize marriage. Once slavery was abolished and African-Americans could marry legally, the tradition all but disappeared. It resurfaced in the 1980s when the book "Roots," by Alex Haley, and the subsequent television mini-series brought about an increased interest in Black history and traditions.
-
Historical Meaning
-
Marking the beginning of setting up a house together, the broom represented a wife's commitment to the house as well as the sweeping away of the bride and groom's old lives as single people and the beginning of their new life as a married couple. It also determined whether the man or the woman would be the head of the household. Whoever jumped the highest during the physical act of jumping over the broom, usually the man, became the decision-maker for the family.
Modern Ceremony
-
Jumping the broom is a part of the wedding ceremony in many modern African-American marriages. A traditional European-style ceremony is held, then at the very end the bride and groom participate in the physical act of jumping over the broom together. This represents a new beginning and pays tribute to a tradition that has endured the years. When families are blended, this part of the ceremony often includes the bride and groom's children from previous marriages or relationships to indicate melding as a family unit.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
