Skull and Bones

''This article is about a secret society. For the pirate flag see Jolly Roger; for the international poison symbol see skull and crossbones.

Skull and Bones (also known as "Chapter 322" and "Brotherhood of Death") is a secret society at Yale University. It is said to be the first such Yale society, established by William Huntington Russell in December, 1832. By the late 19th century, the most prestigious of these societies were Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key, Wolf's Head, Book and Snake and Berzelius. Fifteen members are chosen during their junior year by existing members. Some honor societies at other universities, such as the Cap and Skull at Rutgers University and the Bishop James Madison Society at the College of William and Mary, were reportedly inspired by the Skull and Bones.

Table of contents

1 Overview
2 Controversy
3 Quotes
4 See also
5 External links
6 Further Reading

Overview

Members of Skull and Bones include George Herbert Walker Bush and his son George W. Bush, President of the United States, and Senator John Kerry. The wealth and success of its members past and present has enabled the establishment of the Russell Trust Association, which holds the society's real estate. It has been alleged that graduating members are given large amounts of money by the society, with conditions attached.

Members are forbidden from revealing affiliation until their graduation, at which point they are permitted to wear Skull and Bones pins in public. Lists of purported members are readily available and may be located with a simple Internet search, though some have questioned the accuracy of such lists. The rituals of Skull and Bones take place in the organization's campus building which is called the Tomb, adjoining Jonathan Edwards College. Ron Rosenbaum, author and columnist for the New York Observer states that Prescott Bush, George W. Bush's grandfather, and a band of Bonesmen, robbed the grave of Geronimo, taking the skull of the Apache Chief and bringing it back to be kept in the tomb[1]. No particular religious affiliation is said to be required for membership.

Controversy

Given the power and prominence of the supposed members, and the superficial obscurity of the societies, Skull and Bones are featured in some conspiracy theories. Some observers have noted that virtually every secretive group, including Freemasons and many religious orders, are mentioned in various conspiracy theories.

After graduation, Skull and Bones members then purportedly use connections to go on to highly successful careers in education, banking, law, industry, and government. A large proportion have gone on to important positions in the intelligence community, particularly in organizations like the CIA. However, many alumni of Yale and the other universities—especially Ivy League schools and highly selective liberal arts colleges including Amherst, Swarthmore, and Williams—have also gone on to similarly prominent careers, without involvement in secret societies.

It is also important to note that Yale seniors very likely choose their Skull and Bones successors specifically for expected future success; Bush and Kerry, in particular, are members of prominent families. Some have argued Skull and Bones is little more than any other college or university fraternity.

Only members can substantiate what happens at Skull and Bones rituals, and members are reportedly reluctant to admit even to membership.

Some of the reported activities are reminiscent of Satanic practices. Among the reports is an initiation rite, wherein a pledge spends a night naked in a coffin while telling other members of their sexual encounters.

The video of a purported Skull and Bones ritual, taken by journalist Ron Rosenbaum, shows hooded, masked figures participating in what looks like an initiation rite. Some have suggested similarities to The Blair Witch Project, the Roswell UFO Incident, and similarly fictional films or recordings.

On December 11, 1909, the New York Times reported that Harold Phelps Stokes, a former member of Skull and Bones, had donated a mummy to the society which he acquired on his visit to Egypt with another member, Allan Klots. The article noted that "Klots and Harold Stokes appear to have thought that the mummy would be a picturesque addition to the paraphernalia of Skull and Bones...."

The conspiracy theories and stories surrounding Skull and Bones was the subject of a fictional film The Skulls, which has had at least two sequels and rather mixed reviews.

Quotes

"It's so secret, we can't talk about it." (George W. Bush in a February 8, 2004 interview; with Tim Russert [1])
"Not much, because it's a secret." (John Kerry in an August 31, 2003 interview; with Tim Russert, on what his and Bush's membership "tells us" [1])

External links

Alleged Video of a Skull and Bones ritual taken by Ron Rosenbaum
A list of reputed members
May 2000 Atlantic Monthly article by Alexandra Robbins, George W., Knight of Eulogia
Video of Bohemian Grove Ritual, as well as photographs of alleged Skull and Bones members involved in ritual. Video taken by Alex Jones
Article with lists of notable members
A CNN Article attempting to demystify the organization