Black Friday, a term synonymous with shopping frenzies and unbeatable deals, has a history that might surprise you. This story, rooted in the 1950s Philadelphia, is a far cry from today’s retail extravaganza according to The History Channel.

It all began with the Philadelphia police. They used “Black Friday” to describe the bedlam following Thanksgiving. This chaos wasn’t due to sales but the Army-Navy game, a yearly event attracting hordes of visitors.

The city would be swamped, creating a nightmare for the police. Officers faced extended shifts, managing crowds and traffic, while shoplifters took advantage of the mayhem.

By 1961, “Black Friday” had become a local term. Philadelphia’s merchants, aware of its negative connotations, tried rebranding it to “Big Friday.” But the original name persisted.

It wasn’t until the late 1980s that retailers nationwide transformed Black Friday into a positive phenomenon. They introduced the “red to black” concept, suggesting this was when profits turned positive.

Today, Black Friday’s origins are largely forgotten. It’s evolved into a four-day retail event, influencing other shopping holidays and seeing stores open earlier than ever.

Learn more about Philadelphia’s Black Friday’s Beginnings – from police managing post-Thanksgiving chaos to a nationwide shopping phenomenon on The History Channel.

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