Secret Societies in Detroit

Secret societies have operated in Detroit since its earliest days. By the 1870s men began founding and joining new clubs by the thousands from all levels of society. Immigrants were founding clubs as were African-Americans. Women would not be left out either and created auxiliaries of men’s clubs or founded major new sisterhoods. From the years 1870 to the end of the 1920’s American’s social life centered on these clubs.

This presentation is a look at a few of these secret organizations, some founded for companionship, others more serious, and a few were deadly.

Bill Loomis

Bill Loomis is the author of four books Detroit’s Delectable Past, Detroit Food, On This Day in Detroit History, and Secret Societies in Detroit, as well as numerous articles for the Detroit News, Michigan History Magazine, Hour Detroit, Crains Business Detroit, and a variety of national media, such as the New York Times. He has been interviewed on PBS radio “Splendid Table” and is a regular contributor to “Stateside with Cynthia Canty” on PBS-WUOM in Ann Arbor. He has had television appearances on local Detroit talk shows and history-based shows such as “Mysteries at the Museum.”