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Coverage dated November 2, 2026

Black Friday's history in 10 turning points, from the 1941 law to Cyber Monday

Headline from Quartz

The history of Black Friday runs from Philadelphia police slang to Cyber Monday and global sales, and these 10 turning points show how the shopping day changed

Quartz's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

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Reports & sources

3 articles, oldest first.

  1. Quartz

    How Black Friday went from Philadelphia police slang to a global shopping date (opens Quartz)

    Published

    Quartz's feed description

    How Black Friday spread around the world, from Philadelphia police slang to Asda's U.K. sales, Mexico's El Buen Fin, Alibaba's Singles' Day and the Gulf's White Friday

  2. Quartz

    Black Friday's history in 10 turning points, from the 1941 law to Cyber Monday (opens Quartz)

    Published

    Quartz's feed description

    The history of Black Friday runs from Philadelphia police slang to Cyber Monday and global sales, and these 10 turning points show how the shopping day changed

  3. Quartz

    From a 1869 gold panic to Singles' Day: 20 facts about Black Friday (opens Quartz)

    Published

    Quartz's feed description

    The answer to why it's called Black Friday starts with Philadelphia police, not retail profits, and these 20 facts trace the shopping day's history and spread

Black Friday's history in 10 turning points, from the 1941 law to Cyber Monday | Since Then