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Thinking of buying stuff today? Here's a thread on the history of #BlackFriday (the name was first used for a Wall Street scheme…) & how you can support retail workers directly instead of their CEOs. Hint: it’s not by shopping. #BuyNothingDay
1/ #BlackFriday first referred to the collapse of the US gold market in 1869. Financiers Jay Gould & Jim Fisk bought up as much gold as they could, hoping to drive the price sky-high & sell for profits. The conspiracy unraveled, sending the stock market into free-fall. Src: CNN
2/ In the 1950s police in Philadelphia used the term #BlackFriday to describe the chaos that happened the day after Thanksgiving when suburban shoppers & tourists flooded into the city in advance of the Army-Navy football game held on that Saturday every year. Src: @HISTORY
3/ Retailers in the state & other places started to latch on to the term to promote their discounted products. The term #BlackFriday would catch on nationally in reference to a post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas shopping frenzy in the 1980s. Src: CNN
4/ Retailers would open their doors at 6am on #BlackFriday. However, in the late 2000s, many began opening at 5 or 4am, to increase shopping hours &, therefore, profits. In 2013, Walmart announced it would open even earlier, at 6pm. Many other retailers followed. Src: Infoplease
5/ Workers & unions have used the day to protest for increased pay, full-time & less erratic schedules. Protests and strikes have been led by @OURWmt, a union-backed group of Walmart employees, by the union @AFSCME against Guess leadership, & many more. Src: Reuters
6/ This year workers & activists are rising up to demand environmental & social justice from Amazon & CEO Jeff Bezos. During the pandemic, he became the first person to amass $200 billion. So far it’s not trickling down to Amazon workers. #makeamazonpay https://makeamazonpay.com/
7/ So let's not shop big-box stores, huge online retailers, & fast fashion brands today. If you do shop, support small & local businesses. Other awesome gifts are secondhand, vintage one-of-a-kind pieces; swapping items you already own; and donations in a friend's name.
8/ Check out @GarmentWorkerLA, @forrespect, http://makeamazonpay.com , & more to support workers directly via sharing their messages & donating. Happy support a retail worker day! 
#endblackfriday #WorkersNotBillionaires #BuyNothingDay #FridaysForFuture
#endblackfriday #WorkersNotBillionaires #BuyNothingDay #FridaysForFuture
