Black Friday (false etymology about slavery)

“Black Friday” (or “Big Friday”) is the name for the day after Thanksgiving—a busy shopping day. The term was popularized by the police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1960, to describe the heavy traffic. However, a false etymology is sometimes given that the name “Black Friday” dates to slavery in the 19th century, to describe the day when slaves were sold at discount prices. The fact-checking website Snopes graded this “False” on December 1, 2013, but the supposed slavery origin of “Black Friday” etymology—totally unsupported by any documentary evidence—continues to be spread.
         
The financial term “Black Friday” was popularized in the United States on September 24, 1869, when the stock market crashed. This date was after the Civil War and had nothing to do with slavery, either.
 
It’s sometimes said that “Black Friday” represents, for retailers, when ledgers are “in the black” in profit (as opposed to being “in the red” in loss). These accounting color terms were popularized by printed ledger books by 1920, and also have nothing to do with slavery.
 
The false slavery association with “Black Friday” has been popular on Twitter. “The Day After the harvest festival, when Whites make plans for the coming harvest by buying additional slaves.thus the name ‘Black Friday’” was posted on Twitter on November 28, 2008. “Black Friday actually has roots in the 1800s, when incoming slaves were sold at discount so they wouldn’t have to keep them warm all winter” was posted on Twitter on November 26, 2009. “True Moments In American History: Black Friday 1810 was when you could get slaves 2-for-1 at the auction block on the pier” was posted on Twitter on November 17, 2010.
 
“Black Friday” also has nothing to do with freeing slaves. “Wait, is it called Black Friday because today’s the day that all of the slaves were freed?” was posted on Twitter on November 27, 2009. “black friday was the day the slaves were freed” was posted on Twitter on November 23, 2011.
 
There are many mentions of the modern economic slaves of “Black Friday.” “These Black Friday videos are just disgusting. Americans are slaves to retail” was posted on Twitter on November 24, 2012.  “Black Friday: American Wage Slaves Fight Over Chinese Slave Goods” by Patrick Henningsen, is an article that was published on November 26, 2012.
   
         
Twitter
🇨  🇭  🇪  🇱  🇱  🅾️‏
@c_Hello
The Day After the harvest festival, when Whites make plans for the coming harvest by buying additional slaves.thus the name “Black Friday”
11:21 AM - 28 Nov 2008
 
Twitter
Jamo‏
@Daaeck
Do they call dis friday Black friday cuz they use to sell slaves for the low back in the day on fridays?
8:45 AM - 24 Nov 2009
   
Twitter
Javier‏
@WeirdTV
Black Friday actually has roots in the 1800s, when incoming slaves were sold at discount so they wouldn’t have to keep them warm all winter.
4:44 AM - 26 Nov 2009
 
Twitter   
The Velocirapper‏
@SinMidnight
Wait, is it called Black Friday because today’s the day that all of the slaves were freed?
2:49 PM - 27 Nov 2009
 
Twitter
dallas penn‏
@Dallas_Penn
True Moments In American History: Black Friday 1810 was when you could get slaves 2-for-1 at the auction block on the pier.
8:57 PM - 17 Nov 2010
 
Twitter
McMuffin‏
@Yo_NikLovin
Enough! Lmao RT @YoMomsBoo: #BlackGoogleSearches Is Black Friday The Friday They Finally Freed The Slaves?
10:24 PM - 24 Nov 2010
 
Twitter
Shanice J‏
@ShaniiJAY
DO YOU KNOW THE ORGINS OF BLACK FRIDAY?. IT STARTED THE FRIDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING IN 1829 THEY WOULD SELL SLAVES HALF OFF. HAPPY SHOPPING
12:16 AM - 26 Nov 2010
 
Twitter     
Overheard at School‏
@OverheardSchool
prof : “fun fact class! Black Friday got its name when our four fathers lined up to buy slaves at discount prices. Happy Thanksgiving!”
3:24 PM - 30 Nov 2010
 
Twitter
ColorMeSixWaysToSun‏
@EignaO
Fun Fact: “Black Friday” got its name when our forefathers lined up at dawn to buy slaves at discount prices
6:42 AM - 23 Nov 2011
     
Twitter 
Ultra Lord‏
@I_BlowShitUp
“black friday was the day the slaves were freed”
8:36 PM - 23 Nov 2011
 
Twitter 
WolfMan Jack‏
@LoganGibson
Black friday is the holiday we celebrate in honor of when abe lincoln accidentally free’d all the slaves right?
9:04 PM - 24 Nov 2011
 
Twitter 
Marcus Clark‏
@RunForestRUUNN
Did You Know: Black Friday originated from slave trading, more specifically that slaves were sold for cheaper on Fridays.
9:50 PM - 24 Nov 2011
 
Twitter
What are YOU doing?‏
@MitchURL
The original Black Friday was named because the day after thanksgiving was the day that slaves would go for the cheapest sell.
9:59 PM - 18 Nov 2012
 
Twitter     
Flint Lockwood‏
@FireFistWill
Black Friday started in the 1700s and they got the name “Black” Friday because slaves were auctioned for half off…
9:29 AM - 23 Nov 2012
 
Twitter
Bishop So EastSide‏
@2Arrogant2Care
I heard Its called Black Friday because Abraham Lincoln freed all the slaves on a Friday
11:40 AM - 23 Nov 2012
 
Twitter   
…‏
@K_e_z_a_
I just saw someone saying
“So black Friday isnt the day we freed the slaves?”
I dont wanna live in this world anymore
1:32 PM - 23 Nov 2012
 
Twitter   
Bobby Brown in ‘88‏
@The_Statement
I’m surprised nobody on here tried to explain that Black Friday started by selling slaves for cheap the day after Thanksgiving
5:49 PM - 23 Nov 2012
 
Twitter
Clout Drexler 🇭🇹‏
@BosNaud
These Black Friday videos are just disgusting. Americans are slaves to retail.
12:00 PM - 24 Nov 2012
 
Twitter   
jimmy c hendrix jr‏
@jimmyhendrixjr
Replying to @ULost_GetA_MAPP
@ULost_GetA_MAPP negros trying to tell me Black Friday started when slave owners use to buy and sell slaves after thanksgiving at a discount
1:02 PM - 24 Nov 2012
 
YouTube
Black Friday Slaves
TruthNeverTold
Published on Nov 25, 2012
 
World News Daily—Information Clearing House
Black Friday: American Wage Slaves Fight Over Chinese Slave Goods
By Patrick Henningsen
November 26, 2012 “Information Clearing House” - How does it make you feel when you see people fight like animals – over something like a new iPhone5 or Samsung Galaxy mobile phone?
 
You can tell the health of the tree by the quality of its fruits. America, as is evidenced by this week’s annual materialistic ritual known as ‘Black Friday’, has produced this particularly rotten fruit, consistently. It’s getting way too predictable for our liking.
 
29 November 2012, Montreal (Quebec) Community Contact, “About Black Friday, Amazing Grace and Deportations” by N Oji Mzilikazi, pg. 23:
Black is only good when a company is making money, is “in the black.” The expression has its roots in slavery/the Slave Trade and the huge profits made by investors, slavers, and slave owners who traded in slaves, in Blacks - and which wasn’t good, positive or profitable for Blacks.
 
America’s re-engineering of the Friday after Thanksgiving into Black Friday, and transforming the negativity of a black day to one of economic positivity is conceptually racist.
         
Twitter 
Brady Simons‏
@DuRealSlimBrady
“You know why they call it Black Friday? Because that’s the day all the slaves are on sale.”- @vesticles1
10:01 PM - 17 Jan 2013
 
Twitter
Grim Reefer‏
@FlueGame6
Why is it called black friday ? Could it be that black slaves went on sale on a friday ? #NoRacismIntended
10:59 PM - 6 Apr 2013
 
Twitter   
Cry Baby‏
@bad_religion6x3
Black Friday was originally a day towards the end of the year that slaves got sold for the low to take care of more work in the winter..
4:54 PM - 16 Nov 2013
 
Twitter
Desus Nice‏
@desusnice
The term black friday came from slavery because thats when slaves went on sale.
THIS WAS ON FACEBOOK SO ITS FACT.
2:01 PM - 22 Nov 2013
 
Twitter
Alex Oldroyd‏
@oldroyd1995
Black Friday originated due to some crazy fucker on this very day back in the 1800s deciding to sell his slaves half price #LearningEveryday
9:22 PM - 28 Nov 2013
 
Twitter
Bailey‏
@_shaneendb
Food for thought , black friday was originally meant for auctioning off slaves for land,food, wine and other things
9:22 AM - 29 Nov 2013
 
Twitter
C h e l s e a. ♥‏
@Chelseeeanicole
Do You Even Know The Meaning Of Black Friday? Its Originally About Slaveowners Selling They Slaves (Black People) At Good Prices.
12:29 PM - 29 Nov 2013
     
YouTube
TONI BRAXTON TELLS THE TRUTH BOUT BLACK FRIDAY(SLAVE DISCOUNTS)
MenOfValor13
Published on Nov 24, 2016
 
YouTube
Boycott Black Friday
The Militant Negro Network
Published on Nov 24, 2016
Black Friday. Retailers depend on our $$$ to keep them afloat during holiday season. Lives of our brothers/sisters are worth more than $$$. #NoBlackFriday Join Us In celebrating freedom from the slavery of Black Friday.
 
Twitter
LocalGuy‏
@jfkunene
The origins of Black Friday was selling off of slaves, yet we celebrate it ?
11:51 AM - 21 Nov 2017
 
Twitter
Dolph 🐬‏
@jay_backpage
For People that don’t know the true meaning of “Black Friday” It was a day when Slave owners would sell “Black Slaves” at a discounted price.
2:05 AM - 24 Nov 2017