Skull & Bones: The Tomb of Secrets

Every year, a select few are invited into a room that most people will never see.

An oath is taken, a secret name given, and the very select network has once again strengthened its membership; a membership that has shaped American power since 1832, nearly 200 years.

Welcome to Skull and Bones.

The Tomb

The building where Skull and Bones conducts its ceremonies, rituals, and meetings is shrouded in mystery, much like its membership. The Tomb is a tall brownstone building, no windows or signage, no record of the interior, and even the architects are unknown. It has been documented that an inscription greets all who enter: “Who was the fool, who the wise man, beggar or king? Whether poor or rich, all's the same in death."

A clear reminder that power is temporary and mortality is the true equalizer.

Exactly 15. Every Year.

The number has never changed. 15 new Bonesmen per year, selected from Yale's senior class. No application. No interview. You must be chosen. Membership functions as a lifelong networking society connecting Yale's elite into government, finance, intelligence, and media.

In 2004, both U.S. presidential candidates, George W. Bush (Republican) and John Kerry (Democrat) were Bonesmen. When both were asked about their membership in separate interviews, both gave virtually identical answers: "It's so secret I can't talk about it." The choice of who would lead the free world came down to two members of the same 15-person-a-year secret society.

Whether that constitutes a "secret society" running the world or just very aggressive alumni relations depends entirely on your perspective.

The Symbol: Skull & Crossbones

Skull and Bones carries a philosophical weight: the reminder that death equalizes all men, king and beggar alike. Whatever power you accumulate in this life, the bones remain.

Still Active. Still Secret.

Unlike the Freemasons, who have largely opened their doors, Skull and Bones remains genuinely private. No public website. No public events. Just 15 new members a year, The Tomb, and a network that has quietly produced senators, CIA directors, Supreme Court justices, and three U.S. presidents. The impact and influence are clear.

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Fun Facts

• Known Bonesmen include George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, John Kerry, and William Howard Taft, the only man to serve as both U.S. President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

• It wasn’t until 1992, following protests and petitions, that Skull and Bones accepted its first female members.

• Hollywood brought Skull and Bones into pop culture through the 2000 thriller The Skulls.

  
  

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