Lauren HollandBy Lauren Holland

Black Friday shopping is called that because the name grew out of Philadelphia police slang from the 1950s and 1960s, when the Friday after Thanksgiving brought huge crowds, traffic jams and chaotic sidewalks. The “black” referred to the disorder, not to money or sales. Retailers later reframed the name as a sign of being “in the black” financially.

Where the name Black Friday came from

The most widely cited origin traces to Philadelphia in the 1950s and 1960s. The day after Thanksgiving was a heavy shopping day, and it also drew large numbers of out-of-town visitors ahead of the Army-Navy football game held that weekend. Police officers working those crowds, managing traffic and dealing with shoplifting and pickpocketing during the rush, began calling the day “Black Friday.” The label described the long, tiring shifts and the snarled streets, not a financial outcome.

Shopping for one? See our guide: 7 Best After Christmas Day Sales: 7 Best Picks for Post-Holiday Shopping.

Historians who have looked at newspaper archives note that the phrase appeared in local usage well before it spread nationally. The term stayed mostly regional until retailers and national media picked it up later. Some sources also mention a link to accounting, where red ink signals a loss and black ink signals profit, but that explanation came after the policing usage and is generally considered a later rebranding.

Why the “in the black” explanation caught on

The profit explanation is appealing, and it is the version many retailers promoted. The idea is that Black Friday is the day stores move from losses into profit for the year, or at least that it puts their books “in the black.” This meaning fits the holiday retail calendar well, since November and December sales often make up a large share of a store’s annual revenue. Because the phrase sounds positive and businesslike, it was easy to promote in advertising.

It is worth separating the two stories. The police-slang origin describes where the name first took hold. The accounting meaning describes why businesses came to embrace it. Both can be true at once: the name was coined for one reason and later reinterpreted for another.

Factors that turned one day into a shopping event

Several developments helped the name spread beyond Philadelphia:

  • The calendar. Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, which places Black Friday directly after a long weekend. Many workers have that Friday off, which makes it a natural day for shopping trips.
  • Early store openings. Stores began opening earlier and earlier, sometimes at midnight or even on Thanksgiving evening, which made the day feel like a starting gun.
  • Doorbuster promotions. Limited-quantity deals drew people in at opening time and created the sense that waiting was rewarded.
  • Online shopping. The rise of e-commerce extended the event to Cyber Monday and beyond, though the Friday name stayed attached to the in-store rush.

These changes turned a local nickname into a national retail tradition that now shapes how the entire holiday season is planned. If you want to see how the event fits into the wider calendar, How to Plan for Black Friday: Lists, Comparisons and Return Policies walks through timing, lists and return rules.

What to do if you want to plan around Black Friday

Knowing the history is interesting, but most shoppers care more about how to use the day well. A few practical habits help:

  1. Write a list of items you already plan to buy before the sale starts, so you can compare offers against a clear need.
  2. Check each retailer’s return policy and any special rules for sale items, since some deals have shorter return windows.
  3. Decide whether a sale is worth reaching by a set time, rather than shopping from the first headline you see.
  4. Keep track of your spending in one place so the season’s purchases do not blur together.
  5. Compare the Friday and Monday events before choosing where to spend. Black Friday vs Cyber Monday: How They Differ and How to Prepare explains how the two differ.

If you are shopping for a gift list and want to pace your buying, Thanksgiving Shopping List and Timeline: What to Buy and When offers a week-by-week layout that fits neatly around the holiday.

Is Black Friday always the day after Thanksgiving?

Yes. In the United States, Black Friday is the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving, which falls on the fourth Thursday of November. That means the date changes from year to year, but it always lands in late November.

Did Black Friday start as a retail term?

No. The phrase was in local use, especially in Philadelphia, before major retailers adopted it. Stores later promoted the name because it suited their marketing.

Why do some people say Black Friday has a negative meaning?

The original police usage described crowds, congestion and long shifts, so some people still associate the name with stress and disorder. The later profit meaning is more positive, which is why both readings persist.

Is Cyber Monday connected to the same name?

Cyber Monday is a separate term that was popularized to describe online deals on the Monday after Thanksgiving. It borrowed the rhythm of Black Friday but has its own history.

Where can I learn more about planning for the season?

The Seasonal Shopping Calendar: What Households Need Month by Month gives a broader overview of when different purchases make sense throughout the year, which can help you decide what to save for November.

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Lauren Holland

About Lauren Holland

Lauren Holland is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our holiday shopping calendar guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.