The Real History of Black Friday
From Chaos to Global Shopping Phenomenon
Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping events in the world; a day when millions of people wake up early, hunt for deals, and rush online or into stores. But while most people associate Black Friday with discounts, doorbusters, and packed parking lots, the real origins of the day are much more complicated; and surprisingly not about shopping at all.
To understand how Black Friday became a global retail holiday, you have to trace its evolution across 150 years, several industries, and multiple countries. Here’s the full story behind the world’s biggest shopping day.
Black Friday Didn’t Start With Shopping; It Started With Disaster (1869)
The first-ever use of the term “Black Friday” had nothing to do with Thanksgiving, retail, or the holiday season.
On September 24, 1869, financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk caused a massive collapse in the U.S. gold market through aggressive speculation. When the price of gold crashed, the stock market followed, businesses failed, and the day became known as Black Friday; a dark moment in financial history.
It wasn’t until nearly 100 years later that the phrase would be tied to shopping.
Philadelphia: The Birthplace of the Shopping Meaning (1950s–1960s)
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Philadelphia law-enforcement officers began using “Black Friday” to describe the chaotic day after Thanksgiving.
Every year, crowds of suburban shoppers and tourists poured into the city for:
early holiday shopping
a massive Army–Navy football game
long weekends that kept the city packed
The result?
Traffic jams, overcrowded sidewalks, shoplifting, and a citywide headache for police.
Officers started calling it “Black Friday”; not because stores made profits, but because the chaos was overwhelming.
Philadelphia merchants hated the negative vibe and even tried rebranding it as “Big Friday.”
It didn’t work. The term stuck.
How the Meaning Changed: Marketing Took Over (1980s)
By the 1980s, retailers realized they could flip the negative tone into something positive — and profitable.
They began promoting a more cheerful explanation:
Black Friday is the day stores go from “in the red” (losing money) to “in the black” (making profit).
It was clever. It was catchy.
It wasn’t historically true; but it helped reframe the day as an economic celebration instead of a traffic nightmare.
This marketing spin is why many people today still believe Black Friday originated from accounting terms.
The Rise of a Retail Giant (1990s–2000s)
By the 1990s, Black Friday had spread across the entire United States. It became famous for:
early-morning openings
long lines
“doorbuster” sales
crowds rushing in as the season “officially” began
In the 2000s, online shopping launched Black Friday into an entirely new era. Retailers could now offer deals nationwide without relying solely on physical stores. This shift also paved the way for cyber-focused sales; leading to what we now know as Cyber Monday.
Black Friday Goes Global (2010s and Beyond)
Thanks to globalization, e-commerce, and the influence of huge international retailers, Black Friday expanded far beyond the United States; even to countries that don’t celebrate Thanksgiving at all.
By the 2010s, Black Friday had become a worldwide sales event, appearing in places like:
United Kingdom (≈2010)
Canada (≈2008)
Brazil (≈2010)
Colombia (≈2014)
Germany (mid-2010s)
France (≈2015)
Spain (≈2015)
Sweden (≈2014)
Australia
India
Netherlands (≈2015)
Romania (2011–2013)
South Africa
United Arab Emirates
Egypt (sometimes renamed “White Friday”)
Retailers in these countries adapted the concept, launching:
Black Friday sales
Black Week sales
Weekend-long events
And even early November “pre-Black Friday” promotions
In many places, Black Friday isn’t tied to Thanksgiving at all; it’s simply a major year-end discount season.
Why Black Friday Became a Global Phenomenon
Black Friday spread worldwide because it checks several powerful boxes:
1. Online Shopping Made It Borderless
Global e-commerce made it easy for retailers to push deals internationally.
2. Big Brands Took It Global
Major chains implemented unified Black Friday sales across countries, creating worldwide consistency.
3. Everyone Loves Deals
Holiday shopping happens everywhere; offering discounts in late November made sense regardless of local holidays.
4. Cultural Adaptation
Some countries renamed it or blended it with existing traditions, but the core idea stayed the same.
Myths Debunked
There are a few common misconceptions floating around:
❌ Black Friday did not originate from slavery. This claim appears online but has no historical support.
❌ The day wasn’t originally about profits. The “in the black” explanation was invented by marketers decades later.
❌ Black Friday wasn’t always a shopping event. It spent nearly 100 years as a finance term before entering retail vocabulary.
The True Evolution of Black Friday
The real story of Black Friday is a story of language, culture, economics, and global marketing:
Born from a financial crisis
Reinvented through urban chaos
Rebranded through clever marketing
Expanded through global retail power
Now celebrated as a worldwide sales festival
From its dark origins to its modern popularity, Black Friday shows how a simple phrase can transform; and travel; across centuries and continents.