Where did Black Friday come from?
There is a story that the name originated in the Philadelphia Police Department in the 1950s or '60s, as a description for the day of unmanageable traffic jams and crowds related to the after-Thanksgiving sales (as in, if you were trying to police the mayhem, it was a dark day indeed). The first use of it advertising a sale seems to have been in 1966 by a Philadelphia store that sold stamps to collectors.
More Info:
abcnews.go.com
What are your thoughts on this subject?
41 Comments
Toni Tanouye
From what I've learned about Black Friday, it was to get businesses out of the " red" and into the black at the end of the year. Sinse this has been a national issue after Thanksgiving , that makes more sense to me.
36
Dec 11, 2019 1:49AM
Shelley Welch Dunivan
I thought it was such a huge sales day that merchant profits went from in the red prior to black Friday to in the black making huge profits on black Friday.
25
Aug 19, 2019 9:57PM
Kevin
I was sure that I was right and I am still sure because I heard that Black Friday which is always the day after Thanksgiving, is the biggest and busiest Christmas shopping day for all retailers and it is because of this reason that department stores all across the United States, at least can get themselves out of the red and into the BLACK. This means that a department store sort of gets out of debt and actually shows a profit/ie get in the black. Hence the term, BLACK Friday and therefore, the answer that even comes closest to any of the other 3 answers is the one about Macy's. Therefore, if my answer is incorrect then really all of the answers are incorrect.
16
Apr 25, 2015 3:45PM
Howard Groopman
I don't agree with that explanation. I've always read that it's often the day of the year that businesses make big sales and their accounting books go "into the black" (profit) for the year.
8
May 10, 2020 6:03PM
Richard D. Boyle
Shelley Welch Dunivan, I have read exactly that and was looking for it as the correct option. Selected the closest option to the answer I was expecting. I assume you did also.
5
Nov 13, 2019 2:35AM
Bob Blumrick
The first "Black Friday" was October 29, 1929, the day the stock market crashed and began the Great Depression. Many people saw millions of dollars of assets wiped out in a single day. Wall Street economists and investors were jumping out of skyscraper windows. Mortgages were foreclosed on. Newly homeless families set up tent cities called "Hoovervilles" in Washington DC. My dad and his buddies would help feed their families by going to the nearby railyard and shooting pigeons with their slingshots. There were no jobs to be had, as nobody could afford to hire, if they were lucky enough to still be in business.
1
Dec 15, 2021 7:49PM
Char
I think in rereading it the question was how it got its name not what it does for the stores. Me I steer clear if the day mayhem and madness
1
Jan 18, 2021 10:40PM
Char
Toni Tanouye, you are right I believe its finding what you have and what needs to go so you put it on sale to get rid of it to keep yourself in the black
0
Jan 18, 2021 10:37PM
vonlora
like this explanation better than the one where it was named as the day that slaves were bought at a discount as fewer were needed when it was cold and crops already picked.
0
Nov 6, 2020 9:19PM
Stephen Illich
Perhaps the more interesting question is where is Black Friday going? While I'm old enough to recall Black Friday as the Friday after Thanksgiving (USA), today, Christmas shoppers can enjoy Black Friday Sales 24/7 throughout November and most of December. And retailers run Black Friday Sales as often as they can, all year long now!
0
Jun 25, 2020 10:17AM
Florence McKenna Hiscock
Seemed to be the only logical answer offered.
0
Jun 16, 2020 1:25PM
Florence McKenna Hiscock
Toni Tanouye, I had heard the same thing about retail getting out of the red and into black ink. I guessed right on this answer just because it makes sense. That's one day of the year I never shop.
3
Jun 16, 2020 1:25PM
Richard Adams
Len Johnson, wrong the crash was on a tuesday.
0
May 17, 2020 8:50PM
Brenda Willson
Toni Tanouye, that was my belief also. I have read several articles that had stated that very thing. The traffic jams started because of black Friday.
2
May 16, 2020 7:19PM
Michael Doherty
Kevin, you are correct except for the “get out of debt” part. It has nothing to do with debt.
0
Apr 25, 2020 11:42AM
Michael Doherty
Prime Lantern, you are wrong. Retailer profitability is responsible for the name Black Friday.
3
Apr 25, 2020 11:40AM
Michael Doherty
Sorry Len Johnson, but that was Black Monday, 1929.
2
Apr 25, 2020 11:39AM
Jim Lloyd
Beth is right the answer is wrong
1
Mar 12, 2020 7:30AM
tbear
larrywagner, 👍😊! Behind you one week!
0
Mar 11, 2020 1:25PM
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