The term “Black Friday” was first recorded in 1869, referring to a financial panic caused by Wall Street financiers Jay Gould and Jim Fisk attempting to corner the U.S. gold market, which led to a dramatic market crash and widespread economic disruption. The word “black” historically denoted calamity or misfortune, reflecting the disastrous impact of the event

In the 1950s, Philadelphia police began using “Black Friday” to describe the chaos on the day after Thanksgiving, when large crowds of shoppers and tourists flooded the city ahead of the annual Army-Navy football game. The influx caused traffic jams, overcrowded sidewalks, and increased shoplifting, requiring police to work extended shifts. Retailers initially disliked the negative connotation and attempted to rename it “Big Friday,” but the term did not catch on. 

By the 1980s, retailers reinterpreted Black Friday positively, linking it to accounting practices: stores traditionally operated at a loss (“in the red”) for most of the year and moved into profit (“in the black”) during the holiday shopping season. This narrative helped solidify Black Friday as a major retail event nationwide. The day became synonymous with deep discounts, doorbuster deals, and the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season