It wasn't always the biggest shopping holiday of the year. Why is it called Black Friday?

Images of shoppers frantically searching stores for deals may come to mind when someone mentions "Black Friday." The phrase is practically synonymous with manic post-Thanksgiving shopping in preparation for the December holidays.

But "Black Friday" has not always been associated with holiday spending. Its first recorded use was to describe the gold market crash on Sept. 24, 1869, according to The History Channel.

So, how did a shopping event take its name?

Why is it called Black Friday?

Black Friday's name dates back to the 1950s, the History Channel reports. It was used by Philadelphia police to describe the chaos that often took place in the city the day after Thanksgiving.

Many suburbanites would come to Philadelphia to do their holiday shopping, while others traveled to the city for the annual Army-Navy football game, according to Britannica. This would cause large crowds, traffic, accidents, shoplifting and other issues, leading officers to work extra hours.

By 1961, the name Black Friday had stuck in Philadelphia, The History Channel reports. Some city merchants and boosters tried to call it "Big Friday," hoping to dismiss any negative connotations about the day. But these efforts were unsuccessful.

It was not until the late 1980s that Black Friday was popularized nationally. At that point, retailers wanted to shift the narrative past the day's chaotic origins, opting for a different story. This is how the "red to black" shopping analogy came about, The History Channel reports. Many still believe this to be the real origin of Black Friday's name.

Today, Black Friday has expanded. There's also Cyber Monday, the online shopping event the Monday after Thanksgiving, and Small Business Saturday, which promotes shopping locally the Saturday following the November holiday.

How the bird escaped a 'fowl' fate: Who was the first president to pardon a turkey?

When is Black Friday 2024?

Black Friday falls on Nov. 29.

Small Business Saturday is Nov. 30. Cyber Monday is on Dec. 2.

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "How many federal holidays are there?" to "What's the healthiest Thanksgiving side dish?" to What is November's birthstone?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is it called Black Friday: The history of the shopping date