What year did Black Friday begin? This question has intrigued many as the day has evolved into a significant shopping event in the United States. Black Friday, which typically falls on the day after Thanksgiving, has its origins deeply rooted in American retail history. Understanding its beginning can provide insight into how this day has transformed over the years into the massive shopping spree it is today. Let’s delve into the history and explore the year Black Friday officially began.
The concept of Black Friday is believed to have originated in the 1960s in Philadelphia. However, the exact year of its inception remains a topic of debate among historians. One of the most widely accepted theories suggests that the term “Black Friday” was first used in 1961 by the police department in Philadelphia. At that time, the term referred to the heavy traffic and混乱 that occurred on the day after Thanksgiving, as thousands of shoppers flooded the city’s streets.
Despite the Philadelphia police department’s usage of the term, the idea of a shopping day following Thanksgiving had been around for years. In the early 20th century, retailers began offering special sales and promotions to attract customers. These sales were often advertised as “Thanksgiving sales,” and the day after Thanksgiving became a popular time for shopping.
The term “Black Friday” took on a different meaning in the 1980s when retailers began using it to describe the day when their financial accounts would “turn black” from profitability. This shift in meaning was a result of the growing importance of the holiday shopping season to retailers’ annual revenues.
While the year 1961 is often cited as the year Black Friday began, it is important to note that the shopping tradition predates this date. The term “Black Friday” itself, however, gained widespread recognition in the 1980s and 1990s, as the shopping event became more prominent.
In conclusion, while the exact year of Black Friday’s inception remains a subject of debate, it is widely accepted that the term was first used by the Philadelphia police department in 1961. The day has since evolved into a significant shopping event that has captured the attention of consumers and retailers alike. Whether it was in the 1960s or earlier, the shopping tradition that we now know as Black Friday has a rich history that continues to shape the retail landscape today.
