Tyler D. Parry discusses his book
“Jumping the Broom: The Surprising Multicultural Origins of a Black Wedding Ritual”

In this definitive history of a unique tradition, Parry untangles the convoluted history of the "broomstick wedding." He traces the origins of the ritual — popularly associated with African American culture — to marginalized groups in the British Isles and explores how it influenced the marriage traditions of different communities on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. His surprising findings shed new light on the complexities of cultural exchange between peoples of African and European descent from the 1700s up to the 21st century.

Drawing from the historical records of enslaved people in the United States, British Romani, Louisiana Cajuns and many others, Parry discloses how marginalized people found dignity in the face of oppression by innovating and reimagining marriage rituals.

Parry is assistant professor of African American and African diaspora studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

This virtual event will be hosted by Monica Figueroa, music cataloging librarian and interim librarian for inclusive excellence at the University Libraries at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The talk is part of Off the Shelf, a collaboration between the University Libraries and the UNC Press to present new works on racial and social justice in our history and our world. It is co-presented by the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History at UNC-Chapel Hill.

To order this book, visit uncpress.org or call 1-800-848-6224. Register for this event and you will receive a discount code for 40% off the book price.

REGISTER FOR THIS VIRTUAL EVENT.