This profile aggregates publicly documented information and makes no unsubstantiated claims about motive or character.
Also known as: Order of Skull and Bones, The Order, Brotherhood of Death, Lodge 322
New Haven, CT, US
Yale senior secret society founded 1832. Heavy overlap with intelligence community, political leadership, and financial elite. Three U.S. Presidents among members.
Overview
Skull and Bones is a secret society for senior undergraduates at Yale University, founded in December 1832 by William Huntington Russell and Alphonso Taft after a dispute over Phi Beta Kappa elections. Initially named the Eulogian Club, it was incorporated in 1856 as the Russell Trust Association (RTA), which manages the society's assets, including the "Tomb" headquarters and Deer Island, with a $17 million endowment as of 2024. The society selects 15 juniors annually via "Tap Day" and functions as an elite networking group for alumni.
controversies
Skull and Bones has faced controversies surrounding its secrecy, elitism, and alleged connections to conspiracy theories. One prominent controversy involves the rumored possession of Geronimo's skull within the "Tomb," which led to an unsuccessful lawsuit by descendants in 2009. The society has also been criticized for its exclusive membership and perceived influence in business and politics. Despite persistent speculation, no verified covert actions or congressional investigations have been documented.
Public Discourse
Documented public claims — sourced and attributed — with responses where available. The reader evaluates.
Criticism & scrutiny
Investigative journalist Alexandra Robbins documented in her 2002 book "Secrets of the Tomb" that Skull and Bones has produced a disproportionate share of senior CIA officers, U.S. Secretaries of State, and Presidents — including George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush — raising documented questions about whether elite fraternal networks translate to institutional access and unaccountable influence.
Source: Alexandra Robbins, "Secrets of the Tomb," Little Brown, 2002; documented membership rolls cross-referenced with State Department and CIA leadership records
Institution's response
Members who spoke to Robbins described the society as a traditional mentorship and networking organization, comparable to other senior Yale societies, and denied that membership conferred any coordinated political advantage.
Alexandra Robbins, "Secrets of the Tomb," 2002 — interviews with members
Mixed reception
Ron Rosenbaum of the New York Observer published a 1977 investigation documenting the Bones tomb's initiation rituals, including verbal confessions of sexual history by initiates, based on eyewitness accounts from former members and observers who breached the tomb. The society has never publicly confirmed or denied the ritual details.
Source: Ron Rosenbaum, "The Last Secrets of Skull and Bones," Esquire, September 1977
Key Programs & Events
Founding of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones was founded at Yale University by William Huntington Russell and Alphonso Taft.
Quick Facts
Founded
1832
Headquarters
New Haven, CT, US
Type
secret society
Transparency
opaque
Status
Active
Connections
2
mapped relationships
Institutional Connections