Jumping the Broom: 8 Historical Facts You Need to Know About This Wedding Tradition

By ABS Contributor | Published on February 3, 2016 | Updated on February 15, 2024 4:13 PM EST

Jumping the Broom Today

Today “jumping the broom” is fully entrenched in African-American culture. For most Blacks in America, the phrase is synonymous with American sayings such as “tying the knot,” “getting hitched” or even “wedding” itself. The phrase has often found its way into African American pop culture, such as in the 2011 film Jumping the Broom, directed by Salim Akil.

Expression of Identity

By jumping the broom, modern African-Americans are making a powerful statement about their identity, and by popularly associating the ritual as an “Africanism,” their value of cultural continuity between Africans in the Diaspora and the continent.

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