1937: Albert “Abby” G. [leftt] began his journey to sobriety when Dr. Bob S. admitted him to Akron City
Hospital. While still in Akron, Ohio, his wife hosted the first Alcoholics
Anonymous meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, at their home [right]
on May 11th. His story, “He Thought He Could Drink Like a Gentleman,”
appeared in the 2nd and 3rd editions of Alcoholics Anonymous.
1939: The dust jackets for Alcoholics Anonymous were printed one
week after the book’s initial printing, adding $147.47
[~$3,500 in 2026]
to Works Publishing’s expenses. Copies shipped before the dust jackets were
available may have been enclosed in glassine wrappers—thin, nearly
transparent paper coverings—or other plain wrappers. While no such copy is
known to exist, one would be extremely valuable if discovered
[left: 1st edition without and with dust jacket, respectively].
1941: Herman “Tex” A. [right, at Hole
in the Ground]
established the Hole in the Ground Group, the second Alcoholics Anonymous
group in the Los Angeles, California. Tex, who had grown tired of driving
from Long Beach to Los Angeles to pick up A.A. members, quipped, “I’m just
sick of picking up guys in Long Beach and driving them thirty-five
miles
[~56 km]
to Los Angeles, so I’m starting a group at the halfway point.”
This decision displeased the “downtown boys,” who “excommunicated” Tex, a reaction he shrugged off. He appointed his older sister, Sybil C.
[left, at Hole in the Ground], as the group’s coffee maker and greeter. Sybil, the first woman in A.A.
west of the Mississippi River (having joined A.A. a week after Tex),
delivered her first “shaky” lead at the Hole in the Ground Group.
On 7 December 1941—the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, drawing the U.S. into World War II—the group would move to 6909 Rugby Ave., Huntington Park, California.
2018: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (AAWS) launched a YouTube channel featuring three videos: “Doors,” “My World,” and “I Have Hope,” all available in English, French, and Spanish [right].
1939: The dust jackets for Alcoholics Anonymous were printed one
week after the book’s initial printing, adding $147.47
[~$3,500 in 2026]
to Works Publishing’s expenses. Copies shipped before the dust jackets were
available may have been enclosed in glassine wrappers—thin, nearly
transparent paper coverings—or other plain wrappers. While no such copy is
known to exist, one would be extremely valuable if discovered
[left: 1st edition without and with dust jacket, respectively].
1941: Herman “Tex” A. [right, at Hole
in the Ground]
established the Hole in the Ground Group, the second Alcoholics Anonymous
group in the Los Angeles, California. Tex, who had grown tired of driving
from Long Beach to Los Angeles to pick up A.A. members, quipped, “I’m just
sick of picking up guys in Long Beach and driving them thirty-five
miles
[~56 km]
to Los Angeles, so I’m starting a group at the halfway point.” This decision displeased the “downtown boys,” who “excommunicated” Tex, a reaction he shrugged off. He appointed his older sister, Sybil C.
[left, at Hole in the Ground], as the group’s coffee maker and greeter. Sybil, the first woman in A.A.
west of the Mississippi River (having joined A.A. a week after Tex),
delivered her first “shaky” lead at the Hole in the Ground Group.On 7 December 1941—the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, drawing the U.S. into World War II—the group would move to 6909 Rugby Ave., Huntington Park, California.
2018: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (AAWS) launched a YouTube channel featuring three videos: “Doors,” “My World,” and “I Have Hope,” all available in English, French, and Spanish [right].
Today in A.A. History—April 17–21
1957: The 7th General Service Conference was held at the Commodore
Hotel
[left, c, 1940]
in New York City. Advisory Actions included:- Approved unanimously a unique new set of by-laws which had… been adopted by the Board… on a contingent basis.… The distinctive feature of the by-laws is that they prescribe certain “ground rules” for the operation of the Board while avoiding “legalistic” details… drafted by Bernard B. Smith.
- Question of changing ratio of trustees [was] tabled again.
- … Recomnended that the state [of Ohio] be divided into four Assembly Areas…
- That the Conference recognize the need for a fifth Delegate [for California] on the basis of population.
Today in A.A. History—April 17–22
1967: The 17th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel
[right, 2008]
in New York City. Conference Actions included:
- Voted overwhelmingly to continue the two-year term for Delegates to the Conference.
- Voiced recognition of the fact that clubs should operate within A.A. Traditions and abide by them to the fullest.
- Voiced approval of Guidelines for group separation of A.A. and Al-Anon.
- The leaflet [created by Nell Wing] of the biographies of Dr. Bob and Bill has been completed and is now available.” There appears not to have been a vote to approve or disapprove it.
- The 24-Hour Book not be confirmed as Conference-approved literature.
- That… G.S.O. should not… involve itself in local disputes or misunderstandings.
- Voted unanimously not to accept the Stepping Stones property, home of Bill and Lois.
- Agreed to defer the decision on the use of the Bill Wilson Memorial Fund [$36,928, ~$292,000 in 2026] so that the delegates may discuss with their groups…
Today in A.A. History—April 17–23
1983: The 33rd General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [above right] in New York City. Conference Actions included:
6. The Conference Agenda Committee secretary outline the procedure for selecting Conference items and send it to the Agenda Committee members with their February letter.1988: The 38th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [above right] in New York City. Conference Actions included:
21. … (f) The revised manuscript of “The A.A. Group” pamphlet not be approved… and be returned for further revision.
22. The word “suggested” in the title of the Twelve Steps not be reinstated.
30. A reference to photographs be added to the Anonymity Card—the third paragraph to read as follows: “Thus, we respectfully ask that no A.A. speaker—or, indeed, any A.A. member—be identified by full name or photograph in published or broadcast reports of our meetings.”
32. A.A.W.S. explore the feasibility of translating the sound tracks of existing TV public service announcements into Spanish.
36. The General Service Board… study… inconsistencies between legal directions and actual practice of rotation in our two corporate boards and committees.
37. The General Service Board… explore … establishing an internal check-and-balance method that would possibly insure against the inadvertent violation of the spirit of rotation on the corporate boards and committees.
38. An effort be made to rectify contradictions and inconsistencies between The A.A. Service Manual and legal charters and corporate by-laws.
During the Conference, procedures became bogged down. A.A.W.S. Chair John B. called out from the podium, “Is there an A.A. parliamentarian in the house?” G.S.O. General Manager Bob P. replied, “Ninety-nine of them.”
9. After discussing in-depth the need for carrying the A.A. message to the black community, [it was] decided that the scope of the initiative be broadened to include all minorities with emphasis on the black community (the initiative referred to was a six-point plan published in the Fall 1981 P.I.-C.P.C. Bulletin and re-published on p. 9 of the Aug-Sep 1988 Box 4-5-9).1994: The 44th General Service Conference was held at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza
16. The trustees’ Finance and Budgetary Committee’s proposal for handling possible excesses in the Reserve Fund be approved. [It] would use literature price reductions as the primary mechanism in adjusting… the Reserve Fund to the Conference approved limit of one year’s operating expenses.
26. The Grapevine proceed with publicaton of Bill W.’s collected Grapevine writings…
31. Work continue on the “A.A. History Book,” and that [there] be further editing through the coordinating efforts of each regional trustee with each delegate for further updating, corrections, and additional information.
39. The manuscript for the Native North American not be approved…, but… be returned for editing… references to drug addiction, chemical dependency, “junkie” and “clean” and then… be approved for publication.
48. A draft of a pamphlet for the gay/lesbian alcoholic be prepared and reviewed by the 1989 conference.
59. The Conference Charter should appear in its original 1955 form in… The AA. Service Manual, with… Advisory Action amendments and editorial changes indicated by footnotes, and… the current version of the Charter.
[left]
in New York City. Conference Actions included:6. … a) The General Service Office no longer provide A.A. confidential directories outside the Fellowship.2005: The 55th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza Times Square
11. We not form an ad-hoc committee to relocate G.S.O. out of New York, because it is not financially prudent, and such a project is not needed at the present time.
21. The circle and triangle logo be discontinued on all Conference-approved literature.
25. The request from the Washington Area (72) for a new delegate area be denied.
26. The request from the Southern California Area (05) for a new delegate area be denied.
27. No moratorium be placed on topics to be considered by the General Service Conference.
[right]
in New York City. Conference Actions included:10. The following introduction be added to the front matter of Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions…2016: The 66th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza Times Square [above right] in New York City. Conference Actions included:
28. The following text pertaining to the A.A. Grapevine Digital Archive be added to The A.A. Service Manual.…
30. Online meetings in languages in addition to English, French and Spanish be listed in A.A. directories under “ONLINE MEETINGS” with the meeting language indicated next to the listing…
1. … Conference delegates be provided a copy of the final approved annual General Service Office and A.A. Grapevine budgets with the pre-Conference material…
2. The General Service Board develop a new policy and a plan that enhances the… Conference Agenda Review and Selection Process, providing the area delegate members… a role in the vetting and selection of proposed agenda items.
3. The trustees’ Committee on the General Service Conference create a plan to translate Conference background material, considering all possible methods…
7. The General Service Office post to the Conference dashboard, and regularly update information concerning the status of all proposed Conference agenda items.
14. The trustees’ Literature Committee develop a plan that includes a systematic schedule for the annual review of recovery literature items…
19. Implementation… of the Conference Translation Project to translate pre-Conference and Conference material into Spanish and French… continue with an estimated cost of [$50–$100 thousand] [~$69–138 thousand in 2026].
27. The following text be removed from the Concept XI essay on page 58 of Twelve Concepts for World Service: “Women workers present still another problem.… this assignment far better, just because they are women.”
28. Endnote 10, on page 59 in Twelve Concepts for World Service… be revised… with language noting that two paragraphs have been removed from the Concept XI essay and are available upon request from the G.S.O. Archives…
30. The category title “Online Meetings” be changed to “Online Meetings/Online Groups” on page vi and vii in the A.A. Directories.
31. The term “Special Needs” be removed from the name of the Conference Committee on Treatment/Special Needs-Accessibilities… The new name… will be the Conference Committee on Treatment and Accessibilities.
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