Jumping the broom is a Black wedding tradition steeped in West African history. During the days of slavery in the U.S., enslaved people were not given traditional marital rights. At the time, 'jumping the broom' became a tradition that was the next best way of blessing the marriage and declaring the union. According to reports, even after slavery ended, some Black people would still get married by jumping the broom as a way of keeping up the tradition or if an officiant was unavailable. PIX11 is