The history of Black Friday — the shopping holiday that once beckoned hordes of frenzied shoppers and is now dying

• Though Black Friday became one of the biggest and busiest shopping days of the year, it hasn't always been that way.
• Before it exploded into the national, post-Thanksgiving event we know today, it was reportedly a quirky tradition unique to Philadelphians.
• And now, the holiday is experiencing more changes.
• Here's the evolution of Black Friday, from its 19th-century namesake to the shopping phenomenon it is today.

Black Friday has long been associated with turkey dinner and bargain-priced holiday shopping.

It's turned into one of the most profitable days for retailers, who raked in $8 billion from Black Friday and Thanksgiving sales in 2017.

But it wasn't always that way.

Here's how Black Friday has evolved over the last two centuries.

SEE ALSO: Photos show what 'Black Friday' looks like around the world

DON'T MISS: 11 insider facts most Black Friday workers know — and you probably don't

The day after Thanksgiving has long marked the beginning of the holiday shopping season, starting with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924.

Source: Business Insider

The behemoth retailer used the event as a living and breathing advertisement ahead of the holiday season.

Source: Business Insider

It helped cement the Friday after Thanksgiving as the ultimate holiday shopping day.

Source: INSIDER