Why Is Black Friday Called Black Friday?

Ever wondered why is Black Friday called Black Friday? Debunking the myth: there’s no unusual history lesson here. The term “Black Friday” refers to the shopping chaos in Philadelphia after Thanksgiving. 

There are two sides to the Black Friday meaning, one is the business profit gained, and the other is the shopping chaos that the police would complain about. Exploring both, this guide will walk you through why is it called Black Friday and which Black Friday story is true. 

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Why Is Black Friday Called Black Friday After Thanksgiving?

The police coined the term Black Friday due to the immense shopping sprees and chaos on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The police in the ‘50s and ‘60s had to cover double shifts, or at least extra hours, to manage the chaotic day after Thanksgiving. Police working longer shifts viewed the day negatively, calling it Black Friday.

While this is the most popular version of why is Black Friday called Black Friday, there are still other stories about what coined this term. 

What Does the Word “Black” Mean in Black Friday?

The “black” in Black Friday referred to negativity, which is now being shifted to a new narrative of “blessed Friday”. Despite the initial story being about the police viewing the day negatively, “black” also refers to profit in sales. 

Black Friday’s meaning has evolved over time, and the most common explanation today is positive, rather than the negative meaning in the past. Here’s a breakdown of the word “black” in Black Friday: 

1. The Original Meaning of the 1950s

The term originally came from the 1950s and 1960s when Philadelphia’s police called it Black Friday to describe the chaos and traffic on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Hordes of suburban shoppers would flood into the city to start their holiday shopping. This led to a strain on the police officers who had to work longer shifts to manage the crowd.

This crowd often paved the way for shoplifters to steal merchandise in the confusion. In this context, black was used in a traditional, negative sense. Police officers who had to deal with it bitterly referred to it as Black Friday. 

2. A Positive Rebranding of the Term

The retailers wanted a positive rebranding of the term as an attempt to remove the negative connotations. They popularized a new explanation for the black in Black Friday. There are two effective versions of a positive meaning:

• Old-fashioned accounting practices refer to “being in the black” as profitable for a business. 
• Retailers claim that massive sales on the day after Thanksgiving push their annual revenue from losses to going in the black, i.e., black. 

Black Friday History: What Story About the Origin of Black Friday Is Not True?

There are 5 possible variations of the Black Friday history stories. This section will briefly cover all those and wrap up with the fake story about the origin of Black Friday: 

1. The Philadelphia Shopping Spree

This is the most plausible origin supported by historical evidence. However, it has its own nuances. The police in Philadelphia dreaded the day because of the terrible traffic and crowds going on their shopping sprees after Thanksgiving. City officials tried to rebrand it as the Big Friday to remove the negative stigma. The attempt failed, and the word “black” was still widely used in a negative sense. 

2. Being in the Black Accounting Story

This is a widely believed but retroactive explanation. Retailers in the 1980s started pushing the narrative that stores operated at a loss (in the red) all year until after Thanksgiving. Massive sales pushed them to profitability (in the black). 

3. The Gold Market Crash

This is a popular but false story that you might often see circulating online. The story claims that the Black Friday term originated after the Fisk-Gould scandal on September 24, 1864. This was a scheme to corner the gold market, leading to a massive crash and a stock market panic. 

The event is real and was called Black Friday. However, it doesn’t have connections to the Black Friday after Thanksgiving. This is only a case of two separate events sharing a name. This led to people mistakenly connecting them. 

4. The Slavery Myth

The myth claims that slave traders in the Antebellum South would offer a Black Friday sale on enslaved people a day after Thanksgiving. There is no historical evidence to support this claim. Historians have thoroughly debunked it. This story is an example of modern misinformation, often spread to tarnish the holiday.

5. The Black Eye and Chaos Versions

Some people assume that the name comes from the chaos associated with the day. The fights over parking spots, the stampedes for doorbuster deals, and the aggressive behavior. It’s seen as a day that gives retail a “black eye.” 

What Are the Three Facts About Black Friday?

According to Adobe, 8.73 million people shopped online on Black Friday. Meanwhile, 81.7 million shopped in stores. At the same time, the stats for Cyber Monday sales are rising every passing year. Making this the ideal time to get your hands on iProVPN to avail of impressive discounts. 

That said, here are the three facts about Black Friday:

1. Philadelphia Police Named It for the Thanksgiving Shopping Chaos

Black Friday’s meaning originally dates back to the ‘50s, when the Philadelphia police dreaded the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Police had to work extra hours to curtail the chaos when people flooded the streets for postTthanksgiving and Christmas shopping.

2. Black Friday Originally Referred to the Stock Market Crash

The stock market crash of 1869 coined the term. It referred to the gold prices significantly falling. Two financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, conspired to corner the gold market. 

When the US government intervened and released a large amount of gold, the price plummeted. It led to a crash and ruined everyone who bought gold at the artificially high prices. 

3. It Attracts More Popularity Than Disneyland

The shopping phenomenon during this season has significantly evolved. More people are shopping during this season rather than going to Disneyland. Some stores in the US mention receiving over 22 million visitors. This is more than the capacity of 18 million at Disneyland.

Wrapping Up: Transitioning From “Black” to a Blessed Friday

There’s no scary myth, but is a term coined by the Philadelphia police. They dreaded the season for its chaos and aggression seen on the streets of Philadelphia. 

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