soldiers fired upon Houston police and civilians, also affected the War Department's decision-making. The great majority of black soldiers were employed only in labor functions, such as road-building and freight-handling. Only two black combat units of were ultimately established – the 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions. Black Americans were entirely excluded from the United States Marine Corps and were consigned to menial labor in the United States Navy for the duration of the war. See also Conscription in the United States Selective Service System Footnotes External links Geheran, Michael: Selective Service Act , in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War. Strauss, Lon: Social Conflict and Control, Protest and Repression (USA) , in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War. Wood, Margaret. "World War I: Conscription Laws." Library of Congress Blog. September 13, 2016. Last accessed May 9, 2017. "World War I." Library of Congress Online. Last accessed May 9, 2017. "An Act To authorize the President to increase temporarily the Military Establishment of the United States." Statutes at Large. May 18, 1917, H.R. 3545. Last accessed May 9, 2017. An Act Amending the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to increase temporarily the Military Establishment of the United States," approved May eighteenth, nineteen hundred and seventeen. Statutes at Large. Web. August 31, 1918, H.R. 12731. Last accessed May 9. 2017. 1917 in American law Conscription in the United States United States federal defense and national security legislation United States in World War I 1917 in military history 1917 in the United States 65th United States Congress Conscription law World War I legislation