Sweep Me Off My Feet

Though usually thought of as an African-American tradition, USU folklorists say “jumping the broom” to formalize a marriage is a European tradition as well. The custom signifies the “sweeping away” of each partner’s single life as the pair becomes a couple. One warning – touching the broom during the jump means trouble in the marriage.

For more information about Utah traditions and folklore research, contact Randy Williams, curator, Fife Folklore Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Utah State University Libraries, 435-797-3493.