Brothers in Unity

Brothers in Unity (formally, the Society of Brothers in Unity) is an undergraduate literary and debating society at Yale University. Founded in 1768 as a literary and debating society that encompassed nearly half the student body at its 19th-century peak, the group disbanded in the late 1870s after donating its collection of books to help form Yale's central library.

It was revived in 2021 as a literary and debating society by members of the senior class and alumni. Unlike other Yale senior societies, Brothers in Unity admits students from all four undergraduate years.

History

First incarnation

The Society of Brothers in Unity at Yale College was founded in 1768 by 21 members of the Yale classes of 1768, 1769, 1770, and 1771. The society was founded chiefly to reduce class separation among literary societies; at the time, Yale freshmen were not "received" into any society, and junior society members were forced into the servitude of seniors "under dread of the severest penalties".

David Humphreys, a freshman of the class of 1771, persuaded two members of the senior class, three junior class members, two sophomores, and 14 freshmen to support the establishment of a new society. Its founding members were:

The group picked Stanley as its first president.

The notion of including freshmen was challenged by two or three existing literary groups that waged "an incessant war" against the new society, as described in Brothers in Unity's 1841 catalog of members. But within a year, Brothers became fully independent, its popularity influencing other societies to reconsider their exclusion of first-year students. The Yale College freshman class of 1771 ultimately yielded 15 members to the new group, while the older Linonian Society accepted four—the first recorded time in which underclassmen were publicly accepted into a Yale society. It is speculated that this struggle launched the Brothers' century-long rivalry with Linonia.

Through at least 1841, the society is said to have followed the template of other debating societies, although operating under "Masonic secrecy," according to 19th-century Yale historian Ebenezer Baldwin. Baldwin wrote that the group, in conjunction with Linonia and the Calliopean Society, discussed scientific questions and gravitated towards literary pursuits. This is substantiated by the Brothers' public documentation, which says the society sought "lofty places in science, literature, and oratory" fields, as well as general "intellectual improvement." It also produced plays, including contemporary British dramas and works by its members.

By the beginning of the 19th century, most Yale College students joined either the Brothers or Linonia. "While the official curriculum remained extraordinarily rigid, the student body built a rich extra-curriculum through the literary societies that allowed them to explore subjects that would normally have no place in the college," wrote Elizabeth James in 2015. "Research papers, debates, and literary exercises gave vitality to intellectual life within the college. The societies provided a place where student voices and opinions could be heard, and their questions or thoughts about the world around them interrogated by their classmates." These societies helped pave Yale's way toward a broader European model of education.

Both groups held expansive literary collections, which they used to compete against each other. Between 1780 and 1841, the Brothers claimed to own more volumes than Linonia, although these assertions are disputed. Despite their rivalry, the two societies described each other as "ornaments" of Yale and "generous rivals."When Yale built its first central library in 1846, Linonia and Brothers in Unity accepted the library's invitation to house their collections in the new building. For several decades, the collections were maintained separately, each with a librarian, staff, catalogs, and building entrance. However, the society declined during the Civil War and against the competition of newer secret societies such as Skull and Bones. Linonia and Brothers proposed donating their collections to Yale in 1860, and this was finally done in 1872. These donations are commemorated in the Linonia and Brothers Room of Yale's Sterling Memorial Library. The reading room contains the Linonia and Brothers (L&B) collection, a travel collection, a collection devoted to medieval history, and books recently added to Sterling's collections.

Brothers in Unity disbanded after the library donation; various sources say this happened in 1871, 1872, or 1878.

Second incarnation (2021-present)

In 2021, 21 Yale undergraduates revived the defunct society in a different form. While the original Brothers had a relatively open admissions policy and a large membership, its new incarnation follows the model of Yale's restrictive and smaller senior secret societies.

The new group says it seeks members with professional experience in, or simply passion for, certain types of public service, including the U.S. armed forces, U.S. Congress, the U.S. foreign service, and U.S. intelligence community; and, in "exceptional circumstances", people who demonstrate business leadership or entrepreneurship.

The society is funded by the 1768 Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity administered by alumni.

Symbols and traditions

Internally, members call the society the Brotherhood. In 1768 or 1769, the Brothers adopted the motto , meaning "From small things come great things". Its values are chivalry, openness, and selflessness.

Activities

Brothers in Unity holds debates and invites speakers to discuss contemporary entrepreneurship, foreign policy, literature, and politics. In 2021, it hosted a lecture named for Morrison Waite, the seventh chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, who helped strike down the Civil Rights Act of 1875. The Brothers also award the David Humphreys Prize for a valedictory oration.

In 2022, the Brothers donated photographs and documents concerning its revival to the Yale University Library's Manuscript and Archives collection. The Brothers convene regular debates and special lectures in the Mendell Room at the Brothers in Unity Courtyard in Branford College.

Membership

Membership in Brother in Unity admits 10 new members each spring. A current Yale professor acts as an ex-officio member to advise the society. As of May 2025, it had 175 alumni and current members.

Members of the group between 1768 and 1841 include 26 Yale valedictorians, several Supreme Court justices, one Chief Justice, six governors, 13 Senators, 45 Congressional representatives, a Secretary of the Navy, a Secretary of the Treasury, a Postmaster General, 14 presidents of colleges and universities, two U.S. Attorneys General, and a U.S. Vice President. By 1841, a total of 2,828 students had belonged to the group.

Notable members

References

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Secret societies at Yale
Student debating societies
College literary societies in the United States
2021 establishments in Connecticut
Student organizations established in the 18th century
Secret societies in the United States
1768 establishments in the British Empire
Local fraternities and sororities