In December 2011, I purchased a copy of the Yale secret society Skull and Bones Class of 1966 photo album. This is one of the most iconic Bones classes, whose members include former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry ’66, FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith ’66, Vietnam War hero Richard Warren Pershing ’66, and many other distinguished Yale alumni. Members of Skull and Bones — known as Bonesmen — refer to these albums as “Black Books.”
With the recent passing of Frederick W. Smith — who also received an honorary Yale degree in 2013 — I’m sharing his Skull and Bones photo from the 1966 Black Book. This particular copy originally belonged to Richard Warren Pershing, the grandson of General John J. Pershing, who was killed in action during the Vietnam War. The album’s remarkable provenance — including its donation to the Yale University Library and numerous additional photos of the Skull and Bones Temple and artifacts — is detailed in a 2017 blog post, available here.
Album description: Yale Skull & Bones Delegation of 1966 Photo Album, Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library. This 1966 Bones Club photo album — known as a Skull and Bones “Black Book” — features prominent figures including former Secretary of State John F. Kerry, FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith, Vietnam War hero Richard Warren Pershing, and renowned map collector David Rumsey. The 1966 Black Book is believed to be one of only 15–16 such albums in existence — typically one for each member of the 1966 delegation, with a possible additional copy housed in the Skull and Bones Hall. This is the only known 1966 copy preserved in a research library and accessible to scholars. (Skull and Bones is incorporated as RTA, Inc. — the Russell Trust Association, 322.) (Yale Library finding aid | ProtectingSight blog post) (#05, 2017)
Ravi D. Goel, MD collects historical documents as a hobby. He has donated manuscripts and collections to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Amherst College, Dickinson College, Forest History Society, Harvard University, Minnesota Historical Society, Princeton University, Yale University, and YIVO Institute. Collection highlights are described here.
