Every year on the fourth Friday in November, following Thanksgiving in the United States, Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season. With discounts and special offers, the day entices millions to take advantage of early sales. But have you ever wondered where this tradition started and why it’s called “Black Friday”?

The History of Black Friday

To understand Black Friday’s history, we need to look at Thanksgiving traditions in the U.S., a time when families gather for a festive meal and prepare for the Christmas season. However, the term “Black Friday” as we know it came about much later.

The name originated in the 1950s in Philadelphia, where police officers began to call the day after Thanksgiving “Black Friday” to describe the chaotic crowds in the city. People flocked to Philadelphia for both shopping and to attend the Army-Navy football game, creating traffic jams, accidents, and even a spike in thefts as stores were flooded with shoppers. For police and transportation workers, this day was indeed “black” due to the stress and disorder it caused.

Later on, stores saw an opportunity in Black Friday, introducing big discounts to attract customers. This turned Black Friday from a term associated with disruption to one celebrated as a day of shopping, gradually spreading across the country.

Why “Black” Friday? From “Red” to “Black” in Accounting

Another theory behind the name relates to accounting practices. In English, when a business is losing money, it’s said to be “in the red.” On the other hand, when a business is profitable, it’s “in the black.” Black Friday became known as the day when many retailers would go from “red” to “black,” turning a profit at the end of the year thanks to this rush of holiday shopping.

This financial interpretation gave the term Black Friday a positive connotation, symbolizing business success. So, while the word “black” can be associated with negative events, here it represents opportunity and growth.

Global Impact and Language Learning

Today, Black Friday is a global phenomenon that has been adopted by numerous countries, including those that don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Across Europe and Latin America, for example, stores have embraced the Black Friday trend with sales campaigns, and shoppers eagerly wait for this day to snag discounts on electronics, clothing, and more.

Black Friday is an example of how terms can change meaning over time and adapt to different languages and cultures, showing the role of language in global events and the way culture drives vocabulary change.