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The Enrollment Act of 1863

Back in the day on, March 3rd, 1863, the Enrollment Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. The legislation put in place the first wartime draft in the history of the United States. With the Civil War raging on, the Enrollment Act called on the registration of all males ages 25-40 including those who had filed to become citizens. The conscription law also contained a controversial provision that enflamed class and race divisions. All eligible men that were entered into the draft lottery could exploit a loophole and avoid serving in the military…for a price. Those who could afford to pay for a substitute or front $300 to the government escaped conscription. This led to much anger in the white working class who took up the slogan “a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight” in response. Racism also played into the disaffection as the Civil War was seen through such a distorted prism.

It is with that in mind, that it comes as no surprise that draft riots erupted after the first lottery was conducted later that summer. The most infamous of all took place in New York and quickly degenerated into an anti-black pogrom.

For Uprising, this is your truth professa’ saying it’s no mystery why they conceal our people’s history