Registration Day - June 5, 1917

Today is the day that millions of American men registered for the draft. It was mandatory with the threat of imprisonment if you did not register. It also applied to aliens living in the United States. 

Here are some of announcements I found in the newspapers of the time:

Frederick Post
Frederick, Maryland
Page Four

The Adirondack Record
Au Sable Forks, NY
Page One

There are just a few of the announcements I came across but they all wanted to make sure that men understood there would be consequences if you did not register. 

But as an amateur genealogist, I LOVE the draft cards. They provide valuable information for those searching for ancestors. In many cases, you are able to see the signature of an ancestor and also when they use their mark. You get birthdays, place of birth and what occupation they had on June 5th. 

This was just the beginning the actual draft number have yet to be called!