Presence does not mean support. While Black people were forced to support the Confederate war effort, there is no credible evidence of large units of willing Black soldiers fighting under the Confederate flag.
The claim is a misrepresentation of history used to sever the Confederacy from its foundational principle: white supremacy and the preservation of slavery.
The New York City Draft Riots of July 1863 were a horrific low point in the Civil War, exposing deep class and racial divisions in the Union's largest city. However, the violence against African Americans became a powerful catalyst, spurring an organized effort to raise Black regiments in New York State. This infographic details how a moment of shame became a turning point for Black New Yorkers seeking to assert their loyalty and claim to full citizenship by joining the U.S. Colored Troops.
Fueled by anti-draft resentment over the $300 commutation fee and deep-seated fears of labor competition with emancipated slaves, poor white mobs turned their fury on African Americans. The targeting of individuals and institutions like the Colored Orphan Asylum highlighted the brutal racial animosity prevalent in the city. The city's African American population suffered immense loss of life and property, forcing many to flee.
In the wake of the riots, the atrocity shocked many wealthy, pro-Union New Yorkers. The Union League Club, a patriotic organization, actively took up the cause of Black military service as an answer to the violence. They sponsored and financed the recruitment of New York’s first U.S. Colored Troops regiments (the 20th, 26th, and 31st USCT). For Black men, enlisting was a direct challenge to the rioters' racist claims and a powerful, undeniable argument for equal rights and citizenship through military sacrifice.
A Data-Driven Look at the History of Confederate Monuments in the U.S.
While many assume most Confederate monuments were built immediately after the Civil War to mourn the dead, the data reveals a different story. The vast majority were erected decades later, with over 1,500 public symbols still in place today.
publicly-sponsored Confederate symbols, including monuments, plaques, and named buildings, remain in the United States.
Monument dedication data shows two distinct spikes. The largest wave, peaking from 1900 to 1920, coincided with the height of the Jim Crow era. A second, smaller spike occurred during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.
The earliest monuments (1860s-1880s) were primarily funereal. They were modest, often obelisks, and overwhelmingly placed in cemeteries to honor fallen soldiers.
The main boom (1890s-1920s) shifted in purpose and location. Driven by groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy, these monuments promoted the "Lost Cause" narrative and were placed in prominent public spaces like courthouse lawns.
The monument spikes were not random. They directly correspond with periods of racial conflict and the reinforcement of white supremacy, first during the establishment of Jim Crow laws and later in "massive resistance" to desegregation.
Southern states enact laws to enforce racial segregation and disenfranchise Black voters, creating the social context for the first monument boom.
The United Daughters of the Confederacy is formed, becoming a primary driver in fundraising for and erecting "Lost Cause" monuments in public squares.
The Supreme Court ruling upholds "separate but equal," legally cementing segregation and emboldening the Jim Crow system.
The Supreme Court decision ordering the desegregation of schools sparks the "Massive Resistance" movement and the second, smaller wave of monument building.
As the movement for Black equality gains momentum, some states and groups respond by erecting new monuments and defiantly flying the Confederate battle flag.
Confederate symbols are estimated to remain in public spaces, though this number is in flux.
Monuments and symbols have been removed, relocated, or renamed since 2015, sparking ongoing national debate.