Secret society
\n
A
secret society is a
club or
organization whose members do not disclose their membership, and may be sworn to hold it
secret. The term is sometimes also used to describe fraternal organizations which may have secret ceremonies.
Secret societies are often the subject of much suspicion and speculation from non-members, and often feature in conspiracy theories.
Some--though certainly not all--secret societies may strive for secrecy for reasons of
illegal activity.
Secret societies:
\n* Angelic Society\n* Adelfi\n* Bella Constantina\n* Bishop James Madison Society\n* Brotherhood of the Snake\n* Cambridge Apostles\n* Camorra\n* Carbonari\n* Dragon Rouge\n* Edennisti\n* Eight Letters\n* European Patriots\n* F.H.C. Society\n* Fenian Brotherhood\n* Filadelfi\n* Four Colours (secret society)\n* Freemasons\n* Germanenorden\n* Hellenists\n* Illuminati\n* Knights of Columbus\n* Know-Nothings\n* League of Outlaws\n* League of the Just\n* League of the Holy Court\n* Legion of Christ\n* Mafia\n* Mau Mau\n* Narodnik\n* Order of the Solar Temple\n* Ordo Templi Orientis\n* Perfect Masons\n* Round table groups\n* Sect of Five\n* Seven Letters\n* Shirtless Ones\n* Skull and Bones\n* Sublime Perfect Masters\n* Society of Harmonious Fists\n* Society of the Seasons\n* Society of the Venerable Souls in Purgatory\n* Supreme Masters\n* St. John the Baptist (secret society)\n* The School of Night\n* The Woolcombers' Union\n* Sicari\n* The Central Tomb\n* The Men of Decision\n* The Men of the Dagger\n* The Onion (secret society)\n* Three Colours (secret society)\n* Tong (secret society)\n* Tonton macoute\n* Triad\n* Tugendbund\n* Unnamed Ones\n* Vihan Veljet\n* Walhalla-orden\n* White Pilgrims\n* Yakuza
Many secret societies have been established on university campuses, including, most notably, Skull and Bones at Yale University and the Bishop James Madison Society at The College of William & Mary. The first collegiate secret society was the FHC Club (1750), followed by Phi Beta Kappa (1776), both founded at William & Mary. William & Mary's early exposure to secret societies allowed these types of organizations to flourish there. It now serves as host to at least five, including the 7 Society, the 13 Club, the Alpha Club, the FHC, and the Bishop James Madison Society.
Formerly secret or semi-secret societies:
\n* AMORC: Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis\n* Bilderberg Group\n* Confraternity of the Rose Cross\n* Freemasonry (membership hasn't been strictly secret since the late 20th century)\n* FUDOFSI\n* FUDOSI\n* Ku Klux Klan\n* Order Militia Crucifera Evangelica\n* Phi Beta Kappa (began as a secret society, but eliminated secrecy in 1831)\n* Technocracy
Alleged secret societies:
\n* Priory of Sion
Fictional secret societies:
\n* Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword in Steven Spielberg's film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.\n* Cabal, in the works of Robert A. Heinlein\n* Harpers, in the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons game setting\n* S.P.E.C.T.R.E, in the works of Ian Fleming\n* Order of the Phoenix, in the works of J.K. Rowling\n* The Stonecutters, from The Simpsons\n* Second Foundation, in the The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov
External Links:
\n* A Survey of Secret Societies
\nSee also: Society
