PHILADEPHIA - There are many theories as to when the term "Black Friday" was first used. Many historians attribute it to the Philadelphia Police Department, which hoped it would make the day after Thanksgiving "distasteful." The Army-Navy game played the weekend after Thanksgiving, is also a Philadelphia institution.
However, others argue that the term was a fad and that the city has long been notorious for heavy traffic after the Army-Navy game.
In the 1960s, the phrase "Black Friday" became popular in Philadelphia to describe the day after thanksgiving. While many people associate it with the Army-Navy football game, the actual origin of the term is unclear. The term was first used by police officers as a way to describe the biggest shopping day of the year. While most people know it as "Black Friday," the term actually came into use as a result of protests by merchants and the local police.