The Dark Origins Of Black Friday

There’s no American that doesn’t know what happens on Black Friday every year, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s the day when stores across America compete to bring shoppers in to spend all their holiday money by offering the lowest possible prices on everything.

But if you were to ask an American where the term comes from? You’re likely to find many who have absolutely no idea. You”ll get no shortage of confused looks, or at the very least some very conflicting explanations from each person.

There are some people that believe the name started out in the 1960s in Philadelphia and was coined due to the amount of people and traffic out on this day to shop. A 1966 magazine advertisement in fact credited the Philadelphia Police for coming up with the term.

Retailers were less than pleased with the negative connotation about their big day. A campaign tried to change the name to Big Friday, but failed. Retailers then began to refer to the day as the tipping point in store balance sheets. The positive understanding of the term is the one that stuck.

The term is also related to the market disruptions, such as the 1869 price of gold drop, as well as Black Thursday, which was the catalyst to the Great Depression and 1929 market crash.

Another belief is that it’s called Black Friday since it’s a day when workers would call in sick the day after Thanksgiving, to have a longer weekend with their families. The most haunting rumor however is that it originated in the south, where it was common to sell slaves on this day.

Whatever the true origin of the name may be, Black Friday is not all about shopping and holiday spirit.

You may also like

Indonesia’s Magical Bridge Of Lights

Traveling can be a bit tricky these days. While some countries have opened their borders, many remain closed to foreigners. And even when we can travel, each country has its own unique restrictions, so it can be pretty confusing trying to plan a trip. Therefore, most of us have just decided to get our travel fix by planning our next trip (someday way in the future) and living through other people's travels. Thankfully, there are many travel bloggers out there who are still documenting their trav

Let's be honest here, Thanksgiving turkey isn't really that great. We've all been forced to choke down a dry turkey, complimenting the chef, "This is great!" Cooking a turkey is a wild card that we're pretty sure why there are always dozens of side dishes on the table as well. Frankly, the sides are even better than the main dish itself. Let's give recognition where it's deserved: the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese- those are the real Thanksgiving heroes. And the best part is you ca

Face Masks That Smell Like Fried Chicken and Bacon

Face masks have become a necessity in 2020 and people have really embraced the challenge to make it fashion-forward. Tons of brands have launched unique and stylish face masks these past few months. Shoppers can choose from all kinds of masks: adjustable, machine washable, reversible design options, and now they come with added aromas that are sure to make you hungry. Multiple companies have come out with protective masks over the past few weeks that smell like food. Right now there are chicken

Usain Bolt, The Greatest Sprinter of All Time

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was dubbed "the fastest man alive" after winning three gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and becoming the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100 and 200-meter races in record times. Bolt also won three Olympic gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, scoring an Olympic-record time of 9.63 seconds in the 100 meters, making him the first man in history to set three world records in Olympic competition. He made history aga

The Flower Farm In Tasmania

There are many places in the world where one can go to see all sorts of flowers in their natural habitats. From roses to hydrangeas, there are specialty gardens devoted to every kind of flower under the sun. However, if you're especially fond of tulips, you're probably going to love this news. Apparently, there is a farm in North Tasmania devoted entirely to tulips, and it's pretty much the most Instagram-worthy experience ever. Usually, when people think of tulips, the first place that c