Black Friday is the only day it’s socially acceptable to push a pregnant lady for an air fryer. The day following Thanksgiving, known across the nation as Black Friday, is an event hosting millions of Americans with mega-discounts, early-morning excursions of shoppers, and packed malls. The question is, what originally started this shop-’til-you-drop chaos? And what is encountered by those who participate in it? The first to be interviewed is an average Black Friday shopper. The second is a history teacher who is knowledgeable about the event’s beginnings.
The first interviewee is a frequent shopper this time around named Sofia. She described the day as chaotic but exciting. “I get up super early every year to try and get to the Tysons Mall with my friends,” She said. “It’s usually always packed and filled to the brim with people just wanting to snag some clothes.”
They said that, for them, the day starts well before the sun is up. “I try to get up really early, like 5:30 a.m., so I can get ready and get to the mall as quickly as possible. When I get there I try not to window shop because I’ll see something I don’t need but looks good in the moment, and I’ll think, ‘Hey, it’s on sale, so I should get it.’ But when I get home from a long day, I’ll look at my bags and sigh.
She think that, compared to previous years, this year’s shopping environment has improved. “Every year I always look on TikTok and search up Black Friday brawls. It’s literally just people fist fighting over TVs and shoes, so the fact that people would get into fights over this stuff is insane.” Social media has had a massive impact on the way people shop. Consumers may see black friday deals on their feed prompting them to want to buy the product cause “hey its 75% off!”.
They added a simple warning for new shoppers, “It’s important to keep a mental note that it’s just deals and that a TV is not worth breaking an arm over; it’s always really clustered with everyone trying to get the best stuff, so try and be patient.”
Whereas the first interviewee talked a lot about the shopping aspect, they mentioned they didn’t really know where Black Friday actually originated from. They said that would be more of a historian’s question-so the second interview was conducted with Ms. Burgess, who is a teacher of history and explained where the day originated from.
According to Ms. Burgess, Black Friday’s past is far less cheerful than its reputation today. Packed by her being a history major and a teacher at Briar Woods. She also on the off chance goes shopping as well. “Most people don’t realize that the original use of the term was negative,” she said. “In the 1950s and ’60s, police in Philadelphia used ‘Black Friday’ to describe the overwhelming crowds and traffic the day after Thanksgiving. It wasn’t a celebration – it was a headache.”
As consumer culture grew in the late 20th century, retailers turned the term into something profitable. Large department stores started advertising major sales, turning Black Friday into one of the biggest shopping days of the year. “The shift shows how powerful advertising can be,” Ms. Burgess said. “Retailers took something chaotic and turned it into something profitable.”
Today, Black Friday affects much more than brick-and-mortar stores. Economists say the weekend pumps billions into the United States economy every year, with online shopping continuing to widen its reach. Many Americans are staying home to shop, meaning a digital version of what was once defined by lines stretching across the parking lots. “When Cyber Monday became popular, Black Friday stopped being just about physical stores,” Ms. Burgess said. “We’re watching traditions evolve in real time.”
Despite these changes, the cultural meaning of Black Friday remains attached to consumerism, holiday preparation, and financial optimism. In families, it generally represents shared time and savings. To retailers, it represents opportunity. To historians like Ms. Burgess, it reflects the ways American traditions are molded by culture and commerce. “History is everywhere,” she said. “Even a shopping day has a story, and if you trace it back, you see how our society and values have changed.” As the holiday season draws near, Black Friday continues to evolve-but its past still informs the ways in which Americans shop, spend, and celebrate today.
