Everyone has or may have heard of the old saying "Step on a crack, break your momma's back." What many people do not know, however, is the origin behind this famous phrase which is called "Pavement Cracks". This superstition of Pavement Cracks had its roots in the early 19th and 20th centuries. However, it was used as a saying for interracial marriage rather than as a warning for stepping on a crack. It was believed that the original saying was either, "Step on a crack, and your mother's baby will be black," or "Step on a crack, and your mother will turn black."