EXPLORING SECRET SOCIETIES
A secret society is an organization that conceals its activities, events, inner workings, or membership, and may or may not attempt to conceal its existence.
Here's a more detailed look at secret societies:
General Characteristics:
Concealment:
The core feature is the deliberate attempt to keep certain aspects of the organization hidden.
Varying Degrees of Secrecy:
Some societies maintain complete secrecy about their existence, while others may be known but keep their activities or membership lists hidden.
Examples:
Secret societies can range from collegiate groups like Skull and Bones at Yale to magical organizations or even groups with political or social agendas.
Collegiate Secret Societies:
Some secret societies have kept their membership secret until graduation; others never reveal membership until death.
Membership:
On campuses that have both secret societies and traditional fraternities and sororities, one can be a member of both kinds of organizations. That is, membership is not mutually exclusive. Usually, being a member of more than one traditional fraternity or sorority is not considered appropriate because that member would have divided loyalties. However, typically, there is no issue with being a member of a secret society and a fraternity, because they are not considered similar organizations or competing organizations.[1]
Many secret societies exist as honoraries on one campus and may have been actual meeting societies at one time, kept alive by one or two dedicated local alumni or an alumni affairs or dean's office person who sees to it that an annual initiation is held every year. Some of these state that they are honoraries; others seek to perpetuate the image of a continuing active society where there is none.
A SHORT LISTING OF AMERICA'S
MOST SECRET OF ALL SECRET SOCIETIES
American Mafia - Cosa Nostra
AMORC - Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
Ancient Order of Hibernians
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
Five Points Gang
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Freemasonry in the United States
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Knights of Pythias
Knights of the Golden Circle
Know Nothing
Ku Klux Klan
Moose International
Ordo Templi Orientis
Improved Order of Red Men
Tammany Hall
American Protective Association
American Protestant Association
AMORC
Ancient and Honorable Order of Turtles
Ancient and Illustrious Order Knights Of Malta
Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans
Ancient Order of Freesmiths
Ancient Order of Hibernians
B
Book and Snake
Brotherhood of American Yeomen
Brotherhood of the Union
Brothers in Unity
C
Casque and Gauntlet
Church Association for the Advancement of the Interests of Labor
Columbian Mutual Life Assurance Society
Coming Men of America
Committee of Safety (Hawaii)
Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo
Council for National Policy
Cowbellion de Rakin Society
D
Danite
Daughters of America
E
E Clampus Vitus
Fraternal Order of Eagles
F
Fire and Skoal
Flat Hat Club
Fly Club
List of Fly Club members
Fraternal Order Orioles
G
Gridiron (secret society)
H
Hermetic Brotherhood of Light
I
Improved Order of Heptasophs
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Indiana White Caps
Innocents Society
Iron Arrow Honor Society
Ivy Club
K
Knights and Ladies of Honor
Knights of Honor
Knights of Liberty (vigilante group)
Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia
Knights of Reciprocity
Knights of the Ancient Order of the Mystic Chain
Knights of the Forest
Knights of the Globe
Knights of the Golden Circle
Knights of the Golden Eagle
L
League of Friendship, Mechanical Order of the Sun
List of Atomwaffen Division members in the United States who faced criminal charges
Loyal Nine
M
Mace and Chain
The Machine (secret society)
Manuscript Society
Mattachine Society
Medusa Society
Military Order of the Carabao
Military Order of the Serpent
Modern Woodmen of America
Mystical Seven (Missouri)
Myth and Sword
N
National Grange
The NoZe Brotherhood
O
O.W.L. Society
OBC (secret society)
Order of Ammon
Order of Angell
Order of Chosen Friends
Order of Gimghoul
Order of Heptasophs
Order of Myths
Order of Owls
Order of the Golden Bear
Order of the Occult Hand
Order of the Star Spangled Banner
Order of United American Mechanics
Ordo Templi Orientis
Owl Club (Harvard)
P
P.E.O. Sisterhood
Paladin Society
Penitentes (New Mexico)
Phi Delta Theta
Porcellian Club
The Pundits
Q
QEBH
Quill and Dagger
R
Raven Society
Red Dragon Society
Improved Order of Red Men
Royal Arcanum
S
Sage and Chalice
Scroll and Key
Secret Society of Happy People
Seven Society
Seven Society (College of William & Mary)
Sigma Sigma
Skull and Bones
Skull and Dagger (honor society)
Societas Domi Pacificae
Society for American Civic Renewal
Solar Lodge
The Sons of Lee Marvin
Sons of Liberty
Sons of Malta
Spade and Grave
Sphinx (senior society)
Sphinx Head
Sphinx Senior Society
Stewards Society
Striker's Independent Society
Suicide Club (secret society)
T
Tammany Hall
Theta Nu Epsilon
Timeline of crimes involving the Order of Nine Angles
U
United Ancient Order of Druids
United Order of Tents
V
Vibora Luviminda
W
