(WHTM)\u2013 It\u2019s an American tradition for millions of shoppers to crowd lines in front of stores for a chance to get their hands on all the hottest products and deals the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday has become a staple of American consumer culture, but did you know the name originated in Pennsylvania?<\/p>\n
According to Britannica<\/a>, a common misconception about the origins of the name \u201cBlack Friday\u201d is that it comes from the concept that businesses operate at a financial loss until the day after Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving, businesses are in \u201cthe red.\u201d However, when the massive sales hit, businesses turn a profit, putting them back in \u201cthe black.\u201d<\/p>\n Well, Britannica says this isn\u2019t entirely true.<\/p>\n The name \u201cBlack Friday,\u201d like many things American, originated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to Britannica, in the 1960s, Philadelphia Police officers began using the term \u201cBlack Friday\u201d to describe the chaos that resulted when a crowd of suburban tourists swarmed the city to shop for the holidays and attend the Army-Navy football game.<\/p>\n Close<\/a><\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Watch for us in your inbox.<\/p>\n Subscribe Now<\/p>\n The crowds swarmed, giving police problems, causing them to work longer shifts than usual as they dealt with traffic, accidents, shoplifting, and a host of other issues, Britannica said.<\/p>\n While police coined the now-holiday a sinister name in the city, local merchants attempted to put a lighthearted twist on it by calling it \u201cbig Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n However, the name given to the holiday by the police seemed to stick. Britannica said it wasn\u2019t until the 1980s that the term \u201cBlack Friday\u201d was used nationwide to signify a positive boost in retail sales.<\/p>\n The term\u2019s darker roots have largely been forgotten in recent years, according to History.com<\/a>, as it is now believed to have connections to stores moving from \u201cin the red\u201d to \u201cin the black.\u201d<\/p>\n The holiday has now sparked other \u201cretail holidays,\u201d including Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n