July 28 in A.A. History

1914: In Sarajevo, the capital of the recently annexed provinces of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist and anarchist, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie [right: Achille Beltrame’s portrayal of the assassination]. This act provided Austria-Hungary with justification to initiate hostilities against Serbia, marking the onset of what would become the Great War, later known as World War I.

Today in A.A. History—July 28–30

1950: Alcoholics Anonymous held its first International Convention at the Cleveland Public Auditiorium [left, c. 1950] in Cleveland, Ohio, to celebrate A.A.'s 15th anniversary [right]. The event aimed to honor co-founder Dr. Bob S., who was seriously ill and would die that November, and to adopt the Twelve Traditions by acclamation. Although organizers expected up to 10,000 attendees from an estimated total membership of 96,400, only about 3,000 people registered, with a few hundred more attending without registering.

During the convention, Bill Wilson gave a talk titled “The Group Conscience and the Trusted Servant”^* in which he discussed several key points, among them

I think that we have developed almost a fetish that this is some terrific infallibility in the group conscience, and I would like to modify it to this extent: that when the group conscience is thoroughly informed, and when experience backs a decision or conclusion it has reached, and when it isn’t too mad or too fearful, it can (and almost always is) supremely wise as to the best interests of Alcoholics Anonymous.

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^*This talk is reprinted in full in Our Great Responsibility: A Selection of Bill W.'s General Service Conference Talks 1951–1970. 

 

A.A. History—month & day unknown

1947: [Early, perhaps spring] Father William J. “Bill” M., a priest from St. Paul, Minnesota, and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, established the Calix Society. (The term calix is Latin for chalice, referencing the cup used for consecrated wine in the Eucharist.) Their first meeting took place in a private room at the Rainbow Cafe [left , 1949] located at Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis, and included four other alcoholics from his parish. Eventually, the group began to meet regularly after Saturday morning Mass to discuss the upcoming Sunday readings and the connection between their faith and the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Inspired by Matt Talbott, they adopted the motto: “substituting the cup that stupefies for the cup that sanctifies.” Bill W. later wrote to Father Bill,

As you know I always have been personally partial to all persons or organizations whose good will and helpfulness to A.A. is beyond question. You need not have said that you strive to keep your efforts within the framework of the traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. I know you have tried and have succeeded.

1947: [Before July 25] The House District Committee of the 80th Congress held the first federal hearing on alcoholism and the need for rehabilitation. The hearing specifically addressed H.R. 2659, an “act to establish a program for the rehabilitation of alcoholics, promote temperance, and provide for the medical and scientific treatment of persons found to be alcoholics by courts of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.” During this hearing, Julius S. of the Cosmopolitan Group of Alcoholics Anonymous testified that he had not had a drink in 18 months [right: screen capture from first televised Congressional hearing, 1951].

July 27 in A.A. History

1938: At Bill W.’s request, Dr. William D. Silkworth [left] wrote a letter of recommendation titled “To Whom It May Concern” [right] to assist in fundraising for the book that would become Alcoholics Anonymous. This letter, with some modifications, became the first part of Silkworth’s contribution to the chapter known as “The Doctor’s Opinion.” The second part of his contribution was probably submitted shortly before the Multilith printing in February 1939.

1941: Dale A. [left] began hosting Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) meetings in his home, located across the street from the North City Tavern^* [right, 1928] in Shoreline, Washington. In March, Dale had reached out to the Alcoholic Foundation after reading Jack Alexander’s article about A.A. in the March 1941 issue of The Saturday Evening Post, and then attended his first A.A. meeting. Over time, many people came to recognize Dale as founding father of Seattle A.A. 

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^*The tavern, located at 17554 15th Ave NE, is 10.6 mi [17.06 km] north of Seattle. Originally a grocery store, it has been known as the North City Lounge since 1990.

A.A. History—month & day unknown

1946: American publicist Herbert “Herb” D., an Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) member from Chicago, Illinois, traveled to Rio de Janeiro [right, 1945], then the capital of Brazil. Before his trip, Herb, who had sobered up in 1943, visited the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City to identify A.A. members he could connect with in Brazil. There, he learned about Lynn G., who got sober in after Bob V., a friend of Bill W.’s, approached him (or her) during a visit to Rio in 1945. Unfortunately, when Herb arrived, he was unable to locate Lynn. He then contacted the Alcoholic Foundation for more contacts and offered to become an A.A. liaison in Brazil.

A.A. History—year, month & day unknown

≥1946: Solomon M., a Black translator at the Johannesburg Law Courts [left], resided in Alexandra Township [right] on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. After a recent binge left him and his family struggling for food, he stumbled upon a discarded Reader’s Digest while wandering the streets, hungover. Leafing through it, he discovered an article about Alcoholics Anonymous, which sparked a glimmer of hope within him. Hastening back to his small one-room dwelling, he promptly wrote to the address provided in the article. Soon, he received a pamphlet called “AA” containing excerpts from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. These materials aided him in achieving and sustaining sobriety. Though Solomon was the first A.A. member in South Africa, he chose not to start a group, choosing to remain a solitary participant. Nonetheless, he stayed sober for numerous years, earning him the title of the earliest “Loner” there.

1946–47: The Washington, D.C. Colored Group of Alcoholics Anonymous started with 15 members at different stages of sobriety and grew to nearly 30 members in its second year. During this period, the group changed its name to the Cosmopolitan Group, to welcome all alcoholics, irrespective of race. Dr. James “Jim” S. Jr., the founder, began searching for a meeting space. Despite receiving praise from several ministers, he couldn’t secure a venue. Eventually, the Anthony Bowen YMCA [left, before 1982] at 1616 12th St. NW offered them a room for $2.00 [~$30 in 2026] per night. Charlie G., Bill A., and Chase H. from D.C.’s pioneering Alcoholics Anonymous group, the Old Central Group, provided assistance.

In Jim’s story in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, “Jim’s Story”, he pointed out,

They [white A.A. groups] came, many of them and stuck by us and told us how to hold meetings. They taught us a great deal about Twelfth Step work too. Indeed, without their aid we couldn’t possibly have gone on. They saved us endless time and lost motion. And, not only that, but they gave us financial help. Even when we were paying that two dollars a night, they often paid it for us because our collection was so small.

A.A. History—Date Unknown

Month & day unknown

1945: Bob Valentine, an A.A. member from the U.S., was in Rio de Janeiro [left: aerial view, 1945], Brazil, when he met another American named Lynn Goodale. After their conversation, Lynn decided to get sober. Upon returning to the U.S., Bob shared Lynn’s contact information from Brazil with the Alcoholic Foundation office in New York City, most likely with Bobbie Burger, who was A.A.’s National Secretary at that time.

1946: The New York Intergroup published its first list [right] of A.A. meetings in and around New York City. The list included a total of 30 meetings held each week, comprising 20 open meetings, 9 closed meetings, and 3 luncheons “for A.A. members, friends and guests.”

1946: Drs. C. Dudley Saul [far left] and C. Nelson Davis [near left] opened the first private alcohol treatment center in the United States, known as the C. Dudley Saul Clinic, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Davis assumed the role of Physician-in-Charge. After Dr. Saul’s death in 1947, Dr. Davis relocated the clinic to Malvern, Pennsylvania, renaming it The Malvern Institute. The institute still provides treatment for alcoholics to this day.

1946: The first permanent A.A. group in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 1941, opened spacious clubrooms on Grace Street.

1946: Judson B. made the initial inquiry from Alaska to the Alcoholic Foundation office in New York City after he read about A.A. in a Reader’s Digest article. Despite his efforts, Jud was unable to stay sober. In the same year, the Sourdough Group was started in Anchorage [right, 1945] by Jay B. and Shielan R., the first A.A. group in the state with a membership peaking at six individuals. Regretably, the majority of members were transient, and Shielan, who was one of them, eventually left for the lower 48 states, resulting in the group disbanding.

Year, month & day unknown

c. 1945: When Dr. Bob S.’s son, Lt. Robert R. “Smitty” S. [far left, at Mount Farm, England, after his first combat mission, June 1943], returned from military service in World War II, A.A. member Paul S. [near left] helped him secure a job as a service manager at a car dealer-ship in Cleveland, Ohio.

c. 1945: During World War II, a deserter from a U.S. warship that had docked in Cape Town, South Africa arrived, “quite by chance,” at Imperial Military Hospital, Baragwanath (later renamed Johannesburg General Hospital) [right, c. 1930–45].^* He was “drunk as a lord and with a suitcase, inside of which was nothing but AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] literature from the US.” Although the fate of the deserter remains unknown, Sister Maxwell, a Catholic nurse “who maintained alcoholic ward” at that hospital, “accepted without conflict the newish concept that it [alcoholism] is a disease.” She “held on to and used” this literature “to form her own style of AA.” Sister Maxwell, despite not being an alcoholic herself, deeply empathized with those who were. Her method “helped several dozen alcoholics to sobriety on this basis.”

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^* The distance, in a straight line, from Cape Town’s harbour to the Imperial Military Hospital is 775.26 miles (1,247.66 kilometers).

July 25 in A.A. History

1943: American Weekly published the third installment of a three-part series by Genevieve Parkhurst [left], titled “ALCOHOLISM—Laymen Join Science to Cure It.” The first two pages [right] spanned approximately 5 ft2: 32" × 22" [~½ m2: 81 × 56 cm]. The article continued across several additional pages and generated roughly 1,100 inquiries to the Alcoholic Foundation office in New York City.

1947: The U.S. House of Representatives District Committee published a conference report titled “Rehabilitation of chronic alcoholics in District of Columbia” to accompany H.R. 2659 (an “act to establish program for rehabilitation of alcoholics, promote temperance, and provide for medical and scientific treatment of persons found to be alcoholics by courts of District of Columbia, and for other purposes”). The bill was signed into law by President Harry S. Truman on 4 August. During the hearings on this bill, Julius S., a member of the Cosmopolitan Group in Washington, D.C., had testified.

A.A. History—month & day unknown

1944: The first New Jersey-based Intergroup was established in a modest space on the second floor of the Alanon Club [right, 1940s], at the corner of 7th Street and 7th Avenue in Roseville, New Jersey (formerly the Roseville Athletic Club). The office was sparsely furnished with a desk, a few chairs, and a telephone. Prior to this, New Jersey groups had been operating from the A.A. Clubhouse at 334½ W. 24th Street in Manhattan.

Henry “Hank” T. Tesch became the first full-time paid secretary of the New Jersey Intergroup office, serving from 1946 to 1949 [left: minutes of the special meeting at which Hank was elected]. The Intergroup requested a monthly contribution from groups of 50¢ per member, in line with the unwritten tradition of self-support among A.A. groups at that time. Despite some groups having thirty or more members, Intergroup typically received only $5–10 [~$95–190 in 2026] a month from each group. This amount was barely enough to keep the office running, but it set the important precedent that New Jersey A.A. groups would support their Intergroup office.

1944: [Late] The Manhattan Group relocated to what had been Knox Memorial Chapel [right] at 405 W. 41st St., where A.A. members converted the space into a clubhouse named the Cosmopolitan Club.

1945: The first permanent A.A. group in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 1941, held its first public meeting, which drew a large crowd.

1945: Theresa “Teddy” R., a recovering alcoholic, learned about the nineteen-bed alcoholic ward on the third floor of Knickerbocker Hospital [left] and felt a strong calling to work there. She persistently contacted the supervising nurse for three months until she secured the job. Dr. William D. Silkworth [right], in charge of the unit, praised Teddy as a “red-headed powerhouse.” From 1945 onwards, Teddy treated over 5,000 alcoholics, while Silkworth cared for approximately 7,000 patients, before his death from a heart attack at his Manhattan residence in 1951.

July 24 in A.A. History

1969: Bill W. [near right, 1966], the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and Marty M. [right center, 1964], the founder of the National Council on Alcoholism, testified before the United States Senate Special Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotic. This subcommittee, part of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, was chaired by Senator Harold E. Hughes [far right, c. 1969-1975], who was himself an alcoholic. All three were known for publicly breaking their anonymity.

Today in A.A. History—July 24–26

1992: A “Freedom in Sobriety” event, themed “Living in the Answer”—a reference from the Big Book—took place at the Best Western Executive Inn in Tacoma/Fife, Washington [left: Emerald Queen Hotel & Casino in Fife, formerly the Best Western Executive Inn].

A.A. History—year, month & day unknown

≥1942: The Charleston Group of Alcoholics Anonymous in West Virginia planned to establish what Bill W. termed an “all-purpose” foundation, envisioning a comprehensive center that would include a club, hospital, rehabilitation facility, and research center. They sought Bill’s opinion directly through the Alcoholic Foundation Office in New York City. Bill responded by sharing his experience, cautioning that most similar undertakings had not succeeded. Despite his advice, the group decided to proceed with their plans.

Soon after, the Alcoholic Foundation began receiving troubling correspondence from West Virginia regarding the local foundation’s progress. One of the alcoholics who had conceived the idea for the foundation sent cards in small envelopes to groups nationwide. Each card bore the inscription “Charleston AA Group Rule #62,” implying 61 preceding rules. Inside, he had written, “Don’t take yourself so damn seriously!”

Late 1943–early 1944:  Lois W. visited Little Rock, Arkansas, as part of a nationwide tour with her husband, Bill. Regarding a public meeting there, Lois later quipped:

The Little Rock, Arkansas group was so anonymous that the leader, Bud G., spoke from behind a curtain to the audience of 1,200. But Bill spoke from the open platform.

A.A. History—month & day unknown

1943: The first Alcoholics Anonymous group in Arlington, Virginia, was established in North Arlington, likely by Bill A. This group became the mother group for others in the region. Bill A. also collaborated with Fitz M. and Hardin C. to launch A.A. in Washington, D.C.

1944: Jack W., along with five other members, founded the first permanent A.A. group in Richmond, Virginia. He reported that 20 regular members were meeting at the William Byrd Hotel [right].

1944: [Summer?] Bill W. delivered a talk titled “The Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous” at the Yale School of Alcohol Studies. The talk was followed by a Q&A session, which concluded with the following exchange:

Q: If an alcoholic comes to an A.A. meeting under the influence of alcohol, how do you treat him or handle him during the meeting itself?

A: Groups will run usually run amuck [sic] on that sort of question. At first we are likely to say that we’re going to be supermen and save every drunk in town. The fact is that a great many of them just don’t want to stop. They come, but they interfere very greatly with the meeting. Then, being still rather intolerant, the group will swing way over in the other direction and say, “No drunks around these meetings.” We get forcible with them and put them out of the meeting, saying, “You’re welcome here if your [sic] sober.” But the general rule in most places is that if a person comes for the first or second time and can sit quietly in the meeting, without creating an uproar, nobody bothers him. On the other hand, if he’s a chronic “slipper” and interferes with the meetings, we lead him out gently, or maybe not so gently, on the theory that one man cannot be permitted to hold up the recovery of others. The theory is “the greatest good for the greatest number.”

July 23 in A.A. History

1940: The Philadelphia Group of A.A. set a precedent for the 7th Tradition by contributing 10% of their funds to the Alcoholic Foundation.

1943: Clarence S. and four other members of Alcoholics Anonymous 12th-stepped Esther C. into sobriety while she was hospitalized in Cleveland, Ohio, just two months after her 34th birthday. She became known for riding her “Little Indian Scout” motorcycle [right: Esther on her bike] from Cleveland to meetings in Akron, Ohio. 

Sixty-some years later, when informed that someone from California was coming to ask her about A.A. history and the Big Book, Esther quipped, “What’s the matter with him, doesn’t he have a Big Book?”

1946: Bill W. wrote a note [far left] to Ricardo “Dick” P. [near left] to thank him for translating Alcoholics Anonymous into Spanish. It read:

Dick, an A.A. member since 1940, had worked for three years with his wife, Helen, on this translation.

1985: Loran D. Archer [left], Senior Policy Advisor on Alcoholism and Other Health Issues at the Drug Abuse Policy Office during President Ronald Reagan’s administration, wrote to Mr. Hal M., an A.A. member in Arlington, Virginia. He enclosed 12 copies of the President’s message to A.A.’s 50th International Convention. He also noted his pleasure with the “resounding ovation” received when Bob P. read this message to the Convention. Unfortunately, whatever response the President's message might stimulate, it wouldn't be known for at least 11 days; the letter [right] was dated 24 June; the Convention would be held 5–7 July in Montreal, Quebec.

Today in A.A. History—July 23–25

1976: The 19th International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA) took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [left: letter from U.S. V.P. Nelson Rockefeller; right: Conference SWAG].

July 22 in A.A. History

1873: William Duncan Silkworth [left, 1908] was born in Brooklyn, New York, the oldest of seven children born to Isabelle Duncan and William Silkworth Sr.

1917: Junius C., Jr. [right, as a midshipman] of Pike, Mississippi, was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy. He would later become one of the co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous in Jacksonville, Florida.

1980: Margaret “Marty” M. [left], 75, died at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut, following a stroke. Her final public appearance was earlier in the month at A.A.’s 7th International Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she was a featured speaker.

She had been briefly married in her twenties but identified as a lesbian for the remainder of her life. She used her maiden name and the title “Mrs.” to protect her privacy. Marty had a distinguished career as a magazine editor, art critic, and photojournalist, contributing to prominent publications such as Vogue, Harper’s, and Tatler [right, respectively]. However, alcoholism ultimately left her unemployable. 

Marty began attending Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) meetings on 11 April 1939, at the home of Bill and Lois W., the day after the publication of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. This made her one of the earliest women involved in the Fellowship. She developed a close friendship with Bill W. and was in a 40-year romantic relationship with fellow alcoholic Priscilla P. [right: together at Fire Island, 1948]. Peck served as an Art Editor at Vogue for 25 years. Together, they owned a home in Greenwich Village, a vacation property at Cherry Grove on Fire Island, and later in life, a residence in Connecticut.

Marty authored at least three books: Primer on Alcoholism, Marty Mann’s New Primer on Alcoholism, and Marty Mann Answers Your Questions about Drinking and Alcoholism [left, respectively], as well as numerous articles for various publications. She played a pivotal role in founding High Watch Farm, the world’s first recovery center based on A.A. principles, and established the National Council for Education on Alcoholism (NCEA^*).

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^*The NCEA evolved into the National Council on Alcoholism (NCA) in 1950 and later became the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) in 1990; in 2019, NCADD merged with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids to form the Partnership to End Addiction.

A.A. History—month & day unknown

1942: The first New York City Central Committee was established to respond to inquiries from prospects. Based at the A.A. Clubhouse at 334½ West 24th St. in Manhattan, the committee hired two secretaries to answer letters and phone calls. At this time, New Jersey groups also used this Clubhouse as their headquarters.

1942: [Year-end] In New Orleans, Louisiana, Steve C. had gotten sober and was seeking to help others struggling with alcoholism.