July 8 in A.A. History

1980: [Some sources cite July 10] Helen W. Evans [near right: at age 16, in 1931], Bill W.’s half-sister and the first paid employee of the A.A. Grapevine, died of cancer at the age of 64 in Tucson, Arizona [far right: obituary].

July in A.A. History—day unknown

1922: Lois Wilson [left, 1925] experienced her second ectopic pregnancy, where a fertilized egg develops outside the uterus—in her case, in a fallopian tube. The first had occurred just a month before in her other fallopian tube, and her father, Dr. Clark Burnham [near right, 1917], had treated her at home. This time, he promptly sent her to the Skene Sanitarium [far right, 1909±2], where he was on staff. A colleague performed the surgery, and Lois then went to her family’s camp on Emerald Lake in Vermont to recover under her father’s care.
    Unfortunately, her condition worsened instead of improving. Despite feeling increasingly unwell, she missed home and pretended to be getting better until Dr. Burnham “let” her go home.
    Once home, her husband Bill kept her in bed for several weeks. Concerned about her deteriorating health, he consulted Dr. Leonard Strong [left], his brother-in-law, who realized that a cyst had formed on what remained of her ovary. Lois returned to the surgeon who had operated on her, but he only conducted a “cursory examination” and prescribed a laxative for what he assumed was constipation.

    Knowing better, Bill contacted Dr. Burnham, who quickly took a train back from Vermont and readmitted Lois to the Skene Sanitarium. There, the cyst was removed, and she began to recover rapidly.
    Lois would suffer a third and final ectopic pregnancy the following May.

1934: Bill and Lois W. returned to their Brooklyn home after spending another month at the Strong’s farm in Green River, Vermont. Upon their return, Bill resumed his heavy drinking [right: recent map showing, south to north, Brooklyn, NY; Green River, VT; and East Dorset/Emerald Lake, VT (all in gold)].

1934: In Manchester, Vermont, Ebby T. [left, c. 1922±2] was approached by his friends Cebra Graves [near right], a lawyer, and F. Sheppard “Shep” Cornell [far right], a New York City stockbroker. Both were members of the Oxford Group and had previously been heavy drinkers—specifically, drinking buddies with Ebby. Now sober, they told Ebby about the Oxford Group, but he wasn’t quite ready to give up alcohol.

1934: Bill W. [far left, 1930s] was admitted to Charles B. Towns Hospital [near left] for the second time, his brother-in-law, Dr. Leonard V. Strong [near right], again covering the cost. During this stay, Bill met Dr. Silkworth [far right] for the first time. Dr. Silkworth explained the concepts of obsession and allergy as they related to alcoholism. However, Bill resumed drinking shorly after his release. At this point, he was unemployable, drinking around the clock, and suicidal, having accumulated over $50,000 in debt [~$1¼ million in 2026].

July 7 in A.A. History

2023: Mongolian A.A. celebrated its 25th anniversary with a hybrid meeting, both in-person and online, at Steppe Arena [left] in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia [right: inside the arena during the celebration]. A speaker at the event highlighted the organization’s achievements:

    Today, Mongolian AA is a non-governmental organization registered in Mongolia that serves its members and has about 3,000 members and 172 registered groups. We are a society registered with the World AA General Service Office, and we have a General Service Board consisting of two Class A or Non-Alcoholic Trustees and seven Class B or A.A. Trustees as outlined in the New Service Manual, Annual Service Conferences, 2-yearly National Conferences, and 5-yearly International Conferences [translated from Mongolian].

July in A.A. History—day unknown

1921: Unemployed and directionless, Bill W. was, according to his wife Lois, “restless and his drinking increased” [all quotes are from Lois Remembers]. Lois, an occupational therapy aide for the Red Cross at Brooklyn Naval Hospital [far left: exterior, 1940s; near left: a group nurses at the hospital, 1920], used her vacation time to embark with Bill on a camping trip. They hiked along the 300-mile Long Trail^* [right: map] , which traces the peaks of Vermont’s Green Mountains—a trail Lois’s father and brother had helped clear. For Lois, trips like these were a chance to “think things over” and encourage Bill to moderate his drinking.
    During this particular trip, Bill resolved to attend law school. His grandfather, who had raised him since age 11, had always wanted him to be a lawyer. Though Bill was “not sure he wanted to be an attorney,” he believed that “knowledge of the law would always be useful.” Upon their return, Bill enrolled in night classes at Brooklyn Law School [left: Brooklyn Eagle Building, home of Brooklyn Law School, 1923], a division of St. Lawrence University. He continued his studies for four years. Lois later recounted, “After paying the fifteen-dollar fee [~$294 in 2026] for his diploma [in 1924], he was too drunk to leave the apartment the next day to pick it up. He never bothered to get it. It could still be there.”
    However, Lois’s memory was not entirely accurate. David G. Trager, Dean of Brooklyn Law School from 1983 to 1993, reviewed Bill’s records from the early 1920s. He found that Bill failed a course on Executors and Administrators (concerning wills, estates, and trusts) in his final term in 1924. Although he returned in the fall to retake the course, he ultimately left the law school without completing the required examination, rendering him ineligible for a diploma. (New York state law does, however, allow individuals with at least one year of law school to take the bar exam after completing three years of law office study under the supervision of a practicing attorney or judge.)

---

^*The Long Trail, constructed from 1910 to 1930, follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Canada. It is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States and later inspired the creation of the Appalachian Trail.

July 6 in A.A. History

1985: During A.A.’s 8th International Convention and 50th-anniversary celebration in Montreal, Quebec, Ruth Crecelius (née Hock) was presented with the 5,000,000th copy of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous [right: Ruth holding 5,000,000th copy of the Big Book]. Ruth was the non-alcoholic typist of the Big Book’s first edition and A.A.’s first national secretary.

July in A.A. History—day unknown

1908: Exhausted and depressed after resigning due to a budget dispute, Rev. Frank Buchman [left], the future founder of the Oxford Group, arrived in England to attend the Keswick Convention of Evangelicals. He hoped to meet the renowned Quaker-influenced Baptist evangelist F. B. Meyer [right], believing Meyer could offer him guidance. Although Meyer was absent, Buchman experienced a profound spiritual surrender after hearing evangelist Jessie Penn-Lewis [left] (a descendant of William Penn) deliver a sermon titled “The Cross of Christ.” As he later recalled:

    She pictured the dying Christ as I had never seen him pictured before. I saw the nails in the palms of His hands, I saw the bigger nail which held His feet. I saw the spear thrust in His side, and I saw the look of sorrow and infinite suffering in His face. I knew that I had wounded Him, that there was a great distance between myself and Him, and I knew that it was my sin of nursing ill-will.…
    I thought of those six men back in Philadelphia who I felt had wronged me. They probably had, but I'd got so mixed up in the wrong that I was the seventh wrong man. Right in my conviction, I was wrong in harbouring ill-will. I wanted my own way and my feelings were hurt.
    I began to see myself as God saw me, which was a very different picture than the one I had of myself. I don't know how you explain it, I can only tell you I sat there and realised how my sin, my pride, my selfishness and my ill-will, had eclipsed me from God in Christ.

    Buchman later helped another participant undergo the same experience. These experiences became pivotal to the rest of his life’s work. Upon returning to the U.S., he entered his “laboratory years,” where he developed the principles he would later implement on a global scale.

1918: Bill W. sailed from Boston to New York Harbor aboard the H.M.T. Lancashire (a hired military transport, i.e., non-commissioned) [right].
    During the subsequent voyage to England, an officer offered him brandy, which Bill immediately took to.
     On the eve of their arrival, while Bill was on watch, a sudden crashing thud sent the soldiers into a panic, thinking the ship might have been torpedoed. Bill, pistol drawn, barked orders and took control of the situation, thus proving to himself, at least, that he was no the coward he feared.
    After reaching shore, his unit was delayed by a minor epidemic near Winchester. During this time, Bill visited Winchester Cathedral, where he felt a “tremendous sense of presence.” This experience was partly inspired by an epitaph on the headstone [left] of Thomas Thetcher, a Hampshire Grenadier. Bill later quoted this epitaph, likely from memory, in “Bill’s Story” in the book Alcoholics Anonymous.

July 5 in A.A. History

1946: An unusually large crowd of 50 to 60 people attended a weekly 7 pm Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia [left: aerial view of Sydney, 1946]. The meeting, exclusively for alcoholics, was ironically held in a pub that had lost its license. Among the attendees, six or seven were visibly drunk but went largely unnoticed.
    Recently, a group of men had been regularly attending the meetings, sometimes sober, sometimes intoxicated, moving from person to person in search of cigarettes and spare change. They made no effort to follow the 12 Steps and often disrupted the gathering. For the first time, those genuinely seeking sobriety followed the advice of A.A.'s non-alcoholic founders in Australia, opting not to give these men money or help them in any way. Consequently, none of the moochers returned for the following two weeks.

1970: At the 5th International Convention [right] in Miami, Florida, Bill W., despite his struggle with soon-to-be fatal emphysema, desperately wanted to deliver two major talks and participate in several other meetings throughout the four-day event. However, he fell ill on the first night and was unable to attend until a surprise appearance at the closing session on Sunday morning, July 5, where he gave his very brief “Last Talk.”

1990: At A.A.’s 9th International Convention and 55th-anniversary celebration in Seattle, Washington, the 10,000,000th copy of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, was presented to Nellie “Nell” Wing [left, c. 1987±10 years]. Nell, a non-alcoholic, was Bill W.’s longtime non-alcoholic secretary and A.A.’s first archivist.
    Nell [right, c. 1945] llater described the event as a sort of homecoming for herself, stating,

    I had spent 1944-46 in Seattle (the 13th Naval District) as a member of SPARS, the Women’s Coast Guard Reserve, in the basement of the Olympic Hotel. There was a large bar and dining room which we called the “snake pit” and where many of us, along with the Coast Guard and Navy guys, did a bit of off-duty drinking. One night I got involved in an all-night night drinking spree and next morning, up before my Executive Officer, was “awarded” a captain’s mast^* and sentenced to a brief confinement in my quarters (the “brig” was full). I was allowed out once a day, accompanied by a shore patrol Now, 44 years later, here I was in Seattle again and the recipient of the 10 millionth copy of the Big Book. No words can adequately express my deep gratitude to this beloved Fellowship and my cherished friends therein.

---

^*A form of nonjudicial punishment used in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, it addresses minor offenses committed by service members. The commanding officer investigates alleged misconduct, holds a hearing, and determines whether to impose disciplinary measures. Less formal than a court-martial, it does not result in a criminal conviction.

Today in A.A. History—July 5–7

1985: Approximately 50,000 people attended the 8th International Convention in Montreal, Quebec [left], celebrating A.A.’s 50th anniversary. This number far exceeded the anticipated 28,000 attendees, quickly filling downtown hotel rooms and pressing previously unused motels at airports and in surrounding communities into service. Attendees were housed in university dormitories, Laurentian resorts, and as far away as Sherbrooke (90 miles [121 km]) and Burlington, Vermont (75 miles [121 km]). Notably, a Seagram distillery, located a block from the Palais des Congrès where many events were held, flew its flag at half-staff throughout the Convention.

Today in A.A. History—July 5–8

1990:  An estimated 48,000 people attended A.A.’s 9th International Convention in Seattle, Washington, celebrating the fellowship’s 55th anniversary [right]. The event’s theme was “55 Years—One Day At A Time.” Participants came from seventy-five countries, including, for the first time, nations of the former Soviet Union.

July 4 in A.A. History

1939: The first A.A. meeting in Flatbush, Brooklyn [right], was held at the home of Harold and Emily S. This meeting complemented the only other A.A. gathering in New York City at the time, which had been started in a Manhattan apartment, possibly the Chatsworth, at 72nd Street and Riverside Drive. That location had had been lent to A.A. by Leonard and Helga Harrison after Bill and Lois W. lost their home at 182 Clinton Street in April. Harold sobered up in June 1938, and his story, “Smile at Me, With Me,” appeared in the first edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. Leonard [left] would go on to become a Class A (non-alcoholic) Trustee of the Alcoholic Foundation in 1941.

1970: At the 5th International Convention in Miami, Florida, participants in the main Sunday evening meeting in the Convention Hall [right] concluded by reciting the Declaration of Unity in unison:

    This we owe to A.A.’s future: to place our common welfare first; to keep our fellowship united. For on A.A. unity depend our lives, and the lives of those to come.

    The hope had been to recreate an experience similar to that of adopting of the Responsibility Statement five years earlier at the 4th International Convention in Toronto, Ontario. While an emotional and moving moment, this pledge lacked the impact and lasting quality of the “I Am Responsible” Statement. This was likely due, at least in part, to Bill W. not being present to lead the ceremony; he was in a nearby hospital being treated for his emphysema. Like the earlier Statement, this Declaration was written by Al S. [left].

Today in A.A. History—July 4–6

1975: The 6th International Convention celebrating A.A.’s 40th anniversary took place at Currigan Exhibition Hall in Denver, Colorado [right].
    After the original organizing chairman suffered a heart attack, Jack D. stepped in to lead the planning. By January 1975, Bob H., general manager of GSO and Convention Chair, recognized the immense scale of the event. Realizing it was impractical for A.A. to manage one of the world’s largest conventions without professional assistance, he sought and received Board approval to hire an outside consultant. Ted Driscoll’s expertise proved invaluable, streamlining 
negotiations for venues, transportation, and services crucial for such a massive international undertaking.
    On-site, 800 volunteers staffed airports, hotels, and registration, processing up to 10,000 daily arrivals. Many worked extended shifts due to their dedication. Despite these efforts, the large crowds presented significant challenges: sessions were often overcrowded, shuttle services overwhelmed, and hotel lobbies packed, necessitating continuous adjustments throughout the event.
    The convention successfully balanced intense activity with deep emotional connection. Days were filled with workshops, panels, and alkathons, while evenings featured reunions, dances, and spontaneous fellowship. A.A.'s international character was highlighted through multilingual workshops, cultural presentations such as a Native American war dance, and an “A.A. Around the World” meeting that showcased the organization's global reach.
    A defining moment was the opening flag ceremony, where representatives from 29 countries carried their national flags into the auditorium to the applause of thousands. Each participant then voiced “Let It Begin With Me” in their native language, a powerful symbol of unity that became a lasting tradition.
The event also featured prominent medical and public figures. Memorable details included an oversized “Big Book” display and a much-discussed industrial coffee operation.^*
    The weekend culminated in moving spiritual and personal testimonies, including a reception for Lois W.. The Denver convention was recognized as both a logistical triumph and a profound communal experience, reinforcing A.A.'s core message of mutual support and personal responsibility internationally.

---

^*An entrepreneur, aware of the prodigious amount of coffee consumed at A.A. Conventions, rigged the world's largest coffee maker on a balcony at the convention hall. With a capacity of half a million cups a day, coffee was brewed in huge tanks and piped to dozens of spigots. Customers paid a quarter a cup to enter the area and serve themselves. While the operation was a major talking point and worked efficiently, the coffee itself was generally deemed to be of poor quality, with better coffee available for free in numerous hospitality rooms. Nonetheless, 1.2 million cups of coffee were served by this operation.

July 3 in A.A. History

1955: At 4:00 pm in St. Louis, Missouri, during the 2nd International Convention, Bernard Smith [right], the non-alcoholic Chair of the Alcoholics Anonymous Board of Trustees, called to order the only “open” session of the General Service Conference ever held—the final session of the 5th GSC, saying, in part:

    I now declare the Fifth Annual Conference of the General Service Conference in session. We have completed in four days all of the tasks that have been allotted to us, save only one: that is the adoption of the resolution authorizing the General Service Conference to act for Alcoholics Anonymous and to become the successor to its co-founders. Only this Conference, in all humility, has the power, within the concepts of A.A., to adopt this resolution, and only after it has evidence of the acceptance by all of A.A., in this Convention assembled.

    Mr. Smith then introduced Bill W. [left: at the podium during the 2nd International Convention], who said in part:    

    We stand on the brink of a momentous decision. It is one of the most solemn hours in which this society will ever live, for we are about to confirm its permanent structure.…
    I pray with you that the resolution which we are about to propose is God’s will for us. I shall now offer it to you and ask for a voice vote. If you agree, if your conscience says, “This is right to the best of my knowledge and belief,” then your General Service Conference and its hierarchy of service at the center will confirm your will for all the long future of Alcoholics Anonymous.

    Bill then read the proposed resolution, the main clause of which was:

    That the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous should become, as of this date, July 3rd, 1955, the guardian of the Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, the perpetuator of the World Services of our Society, the voice of the group conscience of our entire Fellowship, and the sole successors to its co-founders, Dr. Bob and Bill.

    The Convention attendees roared their approval [right: 2nd International Convention body in Kiel Auditorium]. Smith requested and received a motion from a Conference Delegate for the Conference to formally adopt the resolution that had just been overwhelmingly approved by the Convention. The motion was seconded, and the Conference Delegates voted unanimously in favor, marking what Bill described as the “Coming of Age” of Alcoholics Anonymous.

1965: At 10:25 pm during the 4th International Convention in Toronto, Ontario [left], A.A.’s “Responsibility Declaration” was adopted. Ninety delegates and members from around the world emerged from behind a large banner at the back of the stage, which depicted the A.A. triangle within a circle, symbolizing the globe. They joined the Trustees who were already seated. The audience of approximately 10,000 stood, joined hands, and, led by Bill and Lois W., thunderously recited the Responsibility Declaration in unison:

    I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.

    This Declaration was written for the occasion by Class B Trustee Howard Alfred “Al” S. [right]. It has since been printed, quoted, and recited countless times. Attempts to modify the wording at General Service Conferences to make it more specific to alcoholics and less inclusive have been made at least twice, but all have failed—largely due to the absurdity of trying to retroactively alter the historical event that took place that day in Toronto.

Today in A.A. History—July 3–5

1970: Nearly 11,000 attendees from every U.S. state and Canadian province, as well as participants from 28 other countries, gathered in Miami, Florida, for the 5th International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous to celebrate its 35th anniversary [left].

Today in A.A. History—July 3–6

1980: Approximately 22,500 people attended the 7th International Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, celebrating A.A.’s 45th anniversary [right]. This was fewer than the anticipated 25,000 attendees, resulting in a loss of $208,000 [~$841,000 in 2026]. 
    The convention, themed “The Joy of Living,” marked several firsts: the debut of the film Markings on the Journey, the inaugural Archives Workshop, the first “genuine” marathon meeting, and the first dedicated events for gay and lesbian members. Marty M. [left] was among the featured speakers.
    A memorable moment occurred during the main meeting on Sunday, 6 July. A candle from the Marathon Meeting was brought to the stage and extinguished by Pete, who had only been sober for two days. Pete, who had been drinking, approached a conventioneer to inquire about their badge. He was promptly 12th-stepped and brought to the Marathon Meeting. The Superdome crowd erupted in deafening applause, and Pete reportedly maintained his sobriety.
    Following this, an unscheduled speaker approached the microphone, announcing, “My name is Bob S., and I’m in Al-Anon.” The audience was puzzled. Bob [right] continued, “I am probably the only person here today who was present when Bill met Dr. Bob.” A collective gasp swept through the crowd. He then declared, “I am Dr. Bob’s only son!” The audience responded with an outpouring of tears and wild applause.

July 2 in A.A. History

1936: Paul S. [right], who had met Dr. Bob S. in January, became Alcoholic Anonymous member #5^* in Akron, Ohio. His story, “Truth Freed Me!” appeared in the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous. The following February, he would introduce his brother, Dick, to A.A.

---

^*Note: Other sources say he was #11; different lists provide differing numberings.

2000: During the 2000 International Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which celebrated A.A.’s 65th anniversary, the 20 millionth copy of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, was presented to the Al-Anon Family Groups.

Today in A.A. History—July 2–4

1965: An estimated 10,400 people from 32 countries attended the 4th International Convention, celebrating A.A.’s 30th anniversary in Toronto, Ontario [left: big meeting in Maple Leaf Gardens]. Local hotels and motels were fully booked, leading to the first-ever provision of free busing for attendees.
    Among the speakers was non-alcoholic Trustee Bernard Smith [right, 1966], who remarked:

    You have something great and awesome going for you. Treat it tenderly, respect what it has done for you and what it can do for others… As long as one man dwells in the darkness you once knew, you cannot rest; you must try to find him and help him become one of you… By the grace of God, may A.A. last for all time!

    At the Convention, a packet of pamphlets titled The Best of Bill was introduced. Each packet included five A.A. Grapevine essays in booklet form (5½"×3½") by Bill W. on “Faith,” “Fear,” “Honesty,” “Humility,” and “Love.” Additionally, a pocket-sized gift edition of Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions was introduced [left]. The film Bill’s Own Story [right] premiered to overflowing audiences throughout the weekend.
    A historic moment occurred when Bill suggested that the crowd join hands to recite the Lord’s Prayer, closing the big meeting at Maple Leaf Gardens (the first International Convention to do so).
    Non-alcoholic Trustee Harrison Trice [left] requested a beer at the Royal York bar, only to be sternly told by the bartender, “No slips in here, brother.”

Today in A.A. History—July 2–5

2015: The 14th International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous was held in Atlanta, Georgia, to celebrate A.A.’s 80th anniversary [right: big meeting in Georgia Dome]. During the event, the 35 millionth copy of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, was presented to Sister Judith Ann Karam [left, 2023]. She is a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, the same religious order to which Sister Ignatia belonged.

2020: The 15th International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous, scheduled to celebrate A.A.’s 85th anniversary in Detroit, Michigan, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [right: Ford Field, would-be site of big meetings at the 2020 International Convention].