April 30 in A.A. History

1941: Dr. Gilbert “Gib” K., a dentist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Harry S. of Waunakee, Wisconsin; and Earle T. of Chicago, Illinois, arranged a special open A.A. meeting in the Lotus Room of Milwaukee’s Plankinton Hotel [right]. Gib later wrote:

    We invited as many members as would come from both the Chicago group and the Madison group. Well they really turned out in numbers kind of far beyond our most fervent hopes. There were some 15 to 20 members here from Chicago and nearly that many from Madison, and a number of them also brought their wives. These together with our local group which stands at 20 now was tangible evidence for the visitors that we had invited.

    These visitors included a judge, a warden, a sheriff, probation officers, social workers, doctors, a clergyman, journalists, private individuals, and even guests accompanying the invited.

1989: My Name is Bill W. [far left: movie poster; near left: video capture], a Hallmark Hall of Fame film presentation, was broadcast at 9 pm on the ABC television network. Directed by Daniel Petrie and written by William G. Borchert, it starred James Woods as Bill, JoBeth Williams as Lois, and James Garner as Dr. Bob.

Today in A.A. History—April 30–May 6

1995: The 45th General Service Conference was held at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza [right] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• based on an expressed need, a Spanish edition of the Grapevine be produced, contingent on [certain conditions] for up to five (5) years… If, after five (5) years, the Spanish edition of the magazine is determined to be no longer feasible, publication be discontinued;
• changes in “The A.A. Group” pamphlet be implemented…;
• a pocket edition of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions be published;
• simultaneous translation be made available at future General Service Conferences;
• a second delegate be admitted from Washington Area (Area 72);
• each Conference will determine… whether or not that… Conference will be smoking or non-smoking; and
• after a thorough examination of the issues… and acknowledging that there may have been problems with communication at many service levels in the past, it was the sense of the committee that there has been improvement and, therefore, in the interest of maintaining A.A. unity and finding there was not sufficient cause, the committee unanimously recommended that the proposal to censure the General Service Board be dismissed.

2000: The 50th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza [above right] Manhattan in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• Southern California Area 05 be granted an additional delegate area; and
• a draft copy of the Fourth Edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous,… be brought to the 2001 Conference Literature Committee, keeping in mind that if a Fourth Edition Big Book is published, it will require Conference approval and the 1995 Advisory Action that: “The first 164 pages of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Preface, the Forewords, ‘The Doctor’s Opinion,’ ‘Dr. Bob’s Nightmare,’ and the Appendices remain as is.”

April 29 in A.A. History

1998: [April 30?] Sybil C. [right] died in Los Angeles, California, just 21 days before her 90th birthday. A woman of many past lives, she had been a bootlegger and a dance-hall girl. She was also a foundational figure in Alcoholics Anonymous, notably serving as the first executive secretary for California A.A. and archivist for the Long Beach (California) Central Office (now Harbor Area CO). Sybil held the distinction of being the first woman to join A.A. west of the Mississippi River, maintaining her sobriety since 23 March 1941. In later talks, she famously introduced herself with the memorable line, “My name is Sybil Doris Adams Stratton Hart Maxwell Willis C., and I’m an alcoholic.”

Today in A.A. History—April 29–30

1950: The Third Annual Regional Alcoholics Anonymous Conference held a two-day event at the Onondaga Hotel [left, 1910], located at the corner of S. Warren and E. Jefferson Streets in Syracuse, New York. Session topics included [right: pp. 2-3, 4 of program]

• A.A. Life or Death Matter	• A.A. Information Not Reformation
• A.A. Meetings as an Opportunity for Growth and Service	• John Barleycorn—Friend or Foe?	• A.A. Traditions
• A.A. Group Life and Conscience	• Our Debt of Gratitude to Non-Alcoholic	• A.A. Women Only
• Our A.A. Prayer	• Area Harmony	• Working with Others

April in A.A. History—day unknown

1961: In his A.A. Grapevine [left: cover] article, “The Dilemma of No Faith,” Bill W. argued that “God As We Understand Him” is Alcoholics Anonymous’s most important phrase. He explained that this phrase ensures the program’s spiritual inclusivity, welcoming members without requiring adherence to any particular faith or theology. Wilson worried that misunderstanding this principle keeps desperate alcoholics away, and then, with a striking confession, turned the lens on himself:

In AA’s first years I all but ruined the whole undertaking with this sort of unconscious arrogance. God as I understood Him had to be for everybody.

    Bill then recounted what he called “purely a social evening” with “an M.D. and a fine one” and his wife. During the evening, Bill monopolized the conversation, focusing solely on A.A. The couple “seemed truly interested,” and the doctor “asked many questions.” One question led Bill to suspect the doctor might be an atheist or, at least, an agnostic. Triggered by this realization, Bill “set out to convert him, then and there,” admitting he “actually bragged about my spectacular spiritual experience.” The doctor, mildly, wondered aloud if that experience might be interpreted differently than Bill believed. In response, Bill became “downright rude.” Despite Bill’s behavior, the doctor remained “uniformly courteous, good humored [sic] and even respectful” throughout the conversation.
    Three years later, Bill encountered the doctor’s wife again and learned he had died the previous week. Deeply affected, she spoke of her husband’s profound contributions to those around him, made despite suffering that only became known after his death. Bill then said,

    This was the story of a man of great spiritual worth. The hallmarks were plain to be seen: humor and patience, gentleness and courage, humility and dedication, unselfishness and love—a demonstration I might never come near to making myself. This was the man I had chided and patronized. This was the "unbeliever" I had presumed to instruct!
    … for the first time, it burst in upon me how very dead faith can be—when minus responsibility. The doctor had an unwavering belief in his ideals. But he also practiced humility, wisdom and responsibility. Hence his superb demonstration.

    His message was a call for humility and genuine tolerance, to be fostered both within the fellowship and in his own heart.

April 28 in A.A. History

1983: Raymond M., an A.A. member from Grandville, Michigan, wrote [right: letter] to Dr. Carlton Turner [left, 1982], director of the Drug Abuse Policy Office during President Ronald Reagan's administration, enclosing his personal story:

RAYMOND E. M―――――――
2714 Donna, S.W.
Grandville, MI 49418
  April 28, 1983

Mr. Carlton Turner
THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington, D.C. 20001

Dear Mr. Turner:

     Alcoholics Anonymous, as you know, is a bi-partisan organization numbering in the millions. Members include men and women, young and old, from all walks of life. The work they do, which is almost entirely on a voluntary basis, is an inspiration and a powerful statement of what can be accomplished through simple human kindness and concern.

     I am enclosing and forwarding to you a story I have written which displays the spirit of A.A. I hope you will find it interesting and inspirational. Without the splendid help these people and others in the field of substance abuse perform, this world, certainly this country, would not be as well off as it is. As an A.A. member myself, I am proud to be able to make this statement.

     Thank you for your kind attention and continued support of A.A.

          Sincerely,
           <signature>
                   Raymond E. M―――――――

REM:m
enc.

April in A.A. History—day unknown

 

1961: Bill W. declined to be the subject of a Time magazine cover story [right: mock cover], even though his full name would not have been used and he could have been photographed from behind. He later remarked:

    For all I know, a piece of this sort could have brought A.A. a thousand members—possibly a lot more. 
    Therefore, when I turned that article down, I denied recovery to an awful lot of alcoholics—some of these may already be dead.… in a sense, my action has pronounced a death sentence on some drunks and condemned others to a much longer period of illness.…
    I estimated that it would be better for some to die and others to suffer, rather than set such a perilous precedent.

    He rejected the honor, as he had many others, because accepting it would threaten the very existence of A.A. and violate the principles he himself had written into Traditions 10, 11, and 12. Bill later noted that his refusal would likely be remembered far longer than having his face splashed across a magazine cover for a week.

April 27 in A.A. History

1942: Dr. G. Kirby Collier [right] laid the groundwork for Rochester, New York’s first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
    He gathered three or four of his alcoholic patients into his office at The Hiram Sibley Building [left] on East Ave. at Alexander St. There, he explained the A.A. program’s basics and provided literature he had acquired during a December visit to the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City. Then, as he put it, he “threw them overboard.”
    Following Collier’s guidance, this small group began meeting in one of the members’ homes—the lower right apartment at 192 N. Goodman St. [right]—establishing Rochester’s inaugural A.A. meeting. Within weeks, the group would expand to six people.

Today in A.A. History—April 27–May 3

2003: The 53rd General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza [left] Manhattan in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• the trial period [started at this Conference] for use of laptops at the General Service Conference be extended through the 54th G.S.C.;
• a draft Introduction to… Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions be developed;
• the trustees’ Literature Committee initiate a comprehensive review of “The A.A. Group;” and
• development of a Third Edition of Alcohólicos Anónimos be approved.

2008: The 58th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza [above left] Times Square in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• the Online Intergroup of A.A. (OIAA) be listed in a new section titled “Online Intergroups under the section “International Correspondence Meetings” in the A.A. “Online Directories” above where “Meetings” appear.

2014: The 64th General Service Conference was held at the Hilton Westchester [right] in Rye Brook, New York. Advisory Actions included:

• a plan be created by the General Service Office to translate Conference material (background material, Conference Manual, etc.) into French and Spanish for use during the Conference;
• the pamphlet on spirituality with the title “Many Paths to Spirituality” be approved;
• during a two-year trial period[, in 2015 and 2016,] the General Service Conference include one day of electronic voting on all nonelection [sic] votes; and
• [add] to the Glossary of General Service Terms [in] The AA. Service Manual:
• “Advisory Action—Represents the informed group conscience of the Fellowship, as the result of a recommendation made by a Conference committee or a floor action, which has been approved by the Conference body as a whole,” and
• “Additional Committee Consideration—An item that was discussed by a Conference committee, but with no action taken or made by the Conference as a whole.”

April 26 in A.A. History

1939: Bill and Lois W. were forced to leave their home at 182 Clinton Street [right, c. 1940] in Brooklyn, where they had lived since May 1933, when Lois’s father remarried and moved out following her mother’s death. The bank held a mortgage but, preferring to have the property occupied rather than empty, had allowed them to stay on a month-to-month basis for a “nominal” payment of $20 [~$508 in 2026]. With the Great Depression loosening its grip, however, foreclosure restrictions had eased, allowing the bank to foreclose and sell the building. This was a difficult blow for Lois, who had lived there her whole life.
    With no place to keep their belongings, most went into storage. As Bill later remarked, “There wasn’t enough money to even get our goods into storage. We had to go on the cuff [on credit] with the drayman [wagon driver].”
    With nowhere to live, Bill and Lois moved in with Hank and Kathleen P. in Montclair, New Jersey. Lois's terse diary entry simply reads, “Left 182 for good. Went to P―― [sic].” This would be just the first of over 50 temporary homes in which they would live over the next two years.
    In her memoir, Lois Remembers, Lois noted that “soon after we left Clinton Street, Hank and Kathleen started holding Sunday meetings at their new home.” This was a clear sign that the A.A. movement was still alive and growing, even though Bill remarked of their ouster, “So climaxed four years of Alcoholics Anonymous,” suggesting a difficult turning point.
    A few days later, Bill and Lois moved again, this time to a remote bungalow in rural Green Pond, New Jersey. Lois’s diary entries, many of which are included in her memoir, suggest that this stay was one of her happiest times during Bill’s first five years of sobriety.

1958: The first International Convention of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA—which defined “young people” as individuals under 40 — opened at the Hotel Niagara [left, c. 1930s] in Niagara Falls, New York. The A.A. Exchange Bulletin (precursor to Box 4-5-9) explained that its purpose was…  

to provide delegates with a thorough rundown of the application of our A.A. program to the individual difficulties encountered by young people in dealing not only with alcoholism but also with the other problems peculiar to their generation.

1959: This Week magazine published “Don’t Tell Me I’m Not an Alcoholic” [near right: cover; far right: first 2 pages] by John Boit M., as told to Arthur Gordon.

1986: Bob P. [left], General Manager of the Alcoholics Anonymous’ General Service Office (GSO), delivered his farewell address at the closing brunch of the 36th General Service Conference at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York City. This was his final conference before retirement, making the occasion particularly significant. The Final Report described his address as “a powerful and inspiring closing talk titled 'Our greatest danger: rigidity.'” His best-known comment from this talk was the following.

    If you were to ask me what is the greatest danger facing A.A. today, I would have to answer: the growing rigidity… And in this trend toward rigidity, we are drifting farther and farther away from our co-founders. Bill, in particular, must be spinning in his grave, for he was perhaps the most permissive person I ever met. One of his favorite sayings was, “Every group has the right to be wrong.” He was maddeningly tolerant of his critics…

Today in A.A. History—April 26–May 2

1981: The 31st General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [right, 2008] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• All future events such as the International Convention not be planned to operate on a deficit basis, and it was also recommended that all future events of this type be self-supporting.
• The suggestion to publish a pamphlet for the homosexual alcoholic be tabled [to] 1982.
• A footnote be added to Tradition Eight in the book “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,” page 169, to update the job description of present-day G.S.O. staff members. The suggested footnote to read: [Their work has no counterpart in commercial organizations.]
• [That] The AA. Service Manual and Twelve Concepts for World Service be combined.

1987: The 37th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [above right] in New York City. There were two significant sets of presentations addressing internal concerns that had arisen out of the 36th GSC, with discussion following.
     The first set of presentations was titled “Right of Decision”:

1. “The Right of Decision Makes Effective Leadership Possible (Concept III),” which said, in part: 
       At last year’s Conference there seemed to be some doubt or feeling of unrest about… the trustee's report on the… Conference Committee. The scope of the Conference… Committee is to review and approve the agenda… make recommendations to the Conference for approval, disapproval, or amendment…
2. “The Principle of Mutual Trust (Tradition Two),” which said, in part:
       [Let us] reflect upon why we… have presentations at Conference after Conference questioning the trust or lack of trust between the different levels of A.A. service… It may… suggest that we are all to quick to become guarded or to doubt. Both… contribute to mistrust. Perhaps it is time for us… to be open with one another…
       The second set presentations, “The Use of Surveys in Making Conference Decisions,” included three talks, two by Area delegates and the third by a Class B trustee:
1. “PRO—Don't Surveys Help Take the Pulse of the FeIlowship?,”
2. “CON—Surveys Don’t Help in Making Conference Decisions,” and
3. “How Can Survey's be Utilized?”

    These grew out of criticism that the Conference may be avoiding its responsibility by recommending surveys of the membership to determine whether or not we should, for example, publish a soft-cover format of the Big Book or a daily reflections book.

2009: The 59th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza [left] Times Square in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• the revised draft pamphlet, “For the Native North American,” be approved;
• the trustees' Literature Committee undertake a through review of the pamphlet, “Questions  and Answers on Sponsorship,” and eliminate or revise outmoded ethnic. cultural and vocational references;
• the title of the pamphlet, “44 Questions,” be changed to “Frequently Asked Questions About A.A.;”
• the General Service Board develop a procedure for the submission of Concept V minority appeals to the General Service Conference; and
• we develop Conference-approved literature that focuses on spirituality and includes stories from atheists and agnostics who are successfully sober in Alcoholics Anonymous.  

April 25 in A.A. History

1913: Burr and Burton Seminary staged A Midsummer-Night’s [sic] Dream at the Union Opera House, then situated on the second floor of what is now Factory Point Place on Main Street in Manchester Center, Vermont. The production’s playbill [right] lists several cast members whose names will be familiar to students of A.A. history:

Theseus, the Duke of Athens	William W—– [still deeply depressed over Bertha Bamford’s death]
Demetrius (In love with Hermia)	John Jackson [Constable who, in 1934, brought Ebby before Judge Graves when he drunkenly shot at pigeons]
Bottom, a Weaver	Edwin T—– [Ebby]
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons	Esther Graves [Judge Graves’ daughter, Cebra’s sister]
Helena, (In love with Demetrius)	Dorothy W—– [Bill’s sister, would marry Dr. Leonard Strong]

1939: Morgan R. [left], a former advertising executive, asylum patient, and friend of the host, appeared for 3 minutes on Gabriel Heatter’s 9 pm radio show, We the People, in New York City. During his segment, Ryan shared his personal story and pitched the book Alcoholics Anonymous. Heatter commented that if even one person was helped by the story, it would be a real service.
    In the days leading up to the broadcast, Morgan had been confined to a room to ensure his sobriety for the show. Concurrently, Bill W. and Hank P. raised $500 [~$11,900 in 2026] to send 20,000 postcards to doctors east of the Mississippi River, announcing the upcoming broadcast. Despite these efforts, the promotion yielded only 12 responses, with just 2 of them being book orders [near right: postcard; far right: enclosed order form].

2010: The Hallmark Hall of Fame premiered When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois W―― Story on CBS. Starring Winona Ryder and Barry Pepper as Lois and Bill, the film was based on William G. Borchert’s book of the same name [far left: book cover; near left: video capture].

Today in A.A. History—April 25–29

1962: The 12th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [right: marquee and entrance] in New York City. Advisory Actions, all unanimous, included:

• Recommends that the report on Long Range translation needs be adopted as follows: [9 specific points of criteria].
• Accepts the recommended budget as presented by the Finance and Budgetary Committee of the General Service Board.
• An Internationalist be selected by their group to attend the Annual meeting of the General Service Conference as an Observer without vote, starting in 1963.

April 24 in A.A. History

1989: Dr. Leonard V. Strong, Jr. [right], 90, died of pneumonia at McKerley Health Care Center in Rutland, Vermont. He had married Dorothy, the sister of Bill W. From 1938 to 1949, he had served as a Class A (non-alcoholic) Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous, first on the Alcoholic Foundation Board and subsequently on the General Service Board. For the rest of his life, he was Trustee Emeritus.

Today in A.A. History—April 24–28

1963: The 13th General Service Conference was held at the Hotel Roosevelt [left, 2008] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• That in an Area where Delegates have been chosen by two A.A. service entities, the Area’s representation in the Conference… be deferred until the Area… is able to select a single Delegate.^*
• Approved the admission to the Conference… of a second Delegate from the Province of Quebec… [to serve] French-speaking group in the Province.
• Viewed “with favor” possible increased participation by overseas A.A. units in General Service Conferences and recommended that a study of factors be made by G.S.O.
• [Denied] the request that a representative of the Young People in A.A. be permitted to attend the General Service Conference as an Observer.
• “Partners,” when revised be retitled [sic] “The Group Handbook” with subtitle, “How the A.A. Group Starts and Grows.”
• Recommends a joint meeting of the GSB and Conference Finance Committees be held in October or November. Also that this be extended to other Committees as deemed necessary.
• [Established a number of committees to plan the 1965 International Convention.] 
• More that $6,500 has been collected in Canada for the [International Convention] Guarantee Fund;…  the GSB [put aside] $6,500 from the General Fund… representing… [their] share…  of the Guarantee Fund [to cover any losses resulting from that Convention.

Bill Wilson spoke about group conscience in his talk titled “A.A. Takes Its Inventory”:

    I think that we have developed almost a fetish that there 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 be (and almost always is) supremely wise as to the best interest of Alcoholics Anonymous.

---

^*The Chicago Area (19) had two such Delegates. Both were invited to meet with the Conference Admissions Committee at their own expense.

Today in A.A. History—April 24–29

1973: The 23rd General Service Conference was held at the Hotel Commodore [right, c. 1940] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• That Conference Committee Secretaries… serve in an advisory capacity only, and… not… vote.
• In declining to approve the [Agenda/Admissions] committee recommendation, the Conference voted that Quebec be allowed a fourth delegate.
• [Denied a recommendation] that the Agenda/Admissions Committee participate, as a committee, in the final approval of suggested agenda items and their distribution to the various committees, etc., and no longer be restricted to just “making recommendations.”
• The Unity declaration be added to all A.A. literature when feasible and economical…
• Any A.A. member’s evaluating another A.A. member is totally in opposition to our Traditions.
• That the money in the Bill W―― Memorial Fund be transferred to the General Fund as expeditiously as possible.^*

---

^*These were unsolicited funds voluntarily sent following Bill’s death by A.A. members and Groups to GSO to do “something” to commemorate him. As of year-end 1972, the accumulated value had reached $39,755 [~$314,000 in 2026].

Today in A.A. History—April 24–30

2022: At the 72nd General Service Conference, held at the Park Central Hotel [left, 2012] in New York City, COVID wreaked havoc, although this was the first face-to-face Conference in since 2019. Two sitting Area delegates were replaced by alternates at almost the last minute. Some G.S.O. employees who had been working on Conference preparations had to go into quarantine after contracting the virus. After the Conference started, Conference members, more G.S.O. employees, and Conference guests began to get sick. As the Final Report put it:

    At least 25 people [were] infected by the end of the week and closer to 50 in the days following the Conference. With no no established protocols or plans in place to address the expanding infection rate, a series of ad hoc procedures were adopted to keep Conference members in the loop of the Conference itself. Recognizing Concept IV and the need to develop a means of communication for those Conference members quarantined in the hotel or who had chosen to leave the Conference over Covid concerns, an audio link was established to provide access to the deliberations of the Conference, though the full participation of these Conference members for discussion, voting and minority opinion was not possible.
Further complicating matters… the hotel had no room service capabilities.…
Another issue…, especially as brought to the fore by the pandemic, [was] the growth, importance and representation of online groups and meetings.

Advisory actions included:

• [That] the… Board develop a… report on the progress and outcomes from the 2013–2015 Conference inventory and include a draft plan for another Conference inventory… to be brought back to he 2023 Conference Committee on Agenda.
• [A]ll Conference… background be made available simultaneously in English, French and Spanish.
• Chapters [8–12] of The A.A. Service Manual be revised to correct inaccuracies and to provide clarity and consistency. 

April 23 in A.A. History

1940: Dr. Bob S. declined royalties from sales of the book Alcoholics Anonymous in a letter to the Alcoholic Foundation trustees. However, Bill W. insisted that both Bob and his wife, Anne, receive royalties, primarily to recognize their leadership rather than their contributions to the book’s writing. Hank P., the only other significant author of the non-story sections, had been “squeezed out” after he resumed drinking, which likely fueled his growing resentment toward Bill.

1947: Leonard V. Harrison, then Director of New York City’s Bureau of Public Affairs (as well as Chairman of the Alcoholic Foundation Board of Trustees), had written a letter to The New York Times, which published it [right]. It read, in part:

    Mayor O’Dwyer’s recommendation for introducing a motorized vacuum cleaner combined with street sprinkler equipment, as reported in The New York Times, represents a forward step in the direction of modern sanitation methods and the protecton of the public health.

1963: Bill W. wrote to Sam Shoemaker [left]:

    You must remember, Sam, that you were the personification here in New York of all the best that went on in Calvary and in the O.G. [Oxford Group] of A.A.’s early days. Your impact on me, and upon some of our other people, was simply immense.… It is also entirely true that the substance of A.A.’s Twelve Steps was derived from the O.G.’s [Oxford Group’s] emphasis on the essentials and your unforgettable presentation of this material time after time.…
    The Twelve Steps of A.A. simply represented an attempt to state in more detail, breadth, and depth, what we had been taught—primarily by you. Without this, there could have been nothing—nothing at all.
    Certainly there were other indispensable contributions without which we should have probably gotten no place. But none of these were so large or so critical as your own. Though I wish the ‘cofounder’ tag had never been hitched to any of us. I have no hesitancy in adding your name to the list!”

2018: The A.A. Grapevine, Inc. launched a YouTube channel [right] with three videos: “Doors,” “At the Printer,” and “Printer Cutter.”

Today in A.A. History—April 23–26

1953: At the 3rd General Service Conference was held at the Hotel Roosevelt [left, 2008] in New York City, the Board of Trustees reported that “the name of Works Publishing, Inc. has been changed to ‘Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc.’”
    Advisory Actions included:

• That Alcoholics Anonymous… not [seek to] incorporate [by Act of Congress].
• [Develop] a new pamphlet for young alcoholics, including a few personal… stories.
• No policy should be declared or action taken on matters liable to gravely affect A.A. as a whole unless by consent of at least three-quarters of the members present.
• That the Board of Trustees… choose the area from which a Trustee [comes] and… the qualifications the prospective Trustee should possess. This Conference… expresses its complete confidence in, and appreciation of, the ability of the Board to act in this matter.
• That the Board of Trustees be authorized to provide part-time compensation for the President of… Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. or in any other situations, as needed.
• The the Board of Trustees recommend a new name for The Alcoholic Foundation using “Alcoholics Anonymous” coupled with a suitable word, that word not to be “international.”

Today in A.A. History—April 23–27

1952: The 2nd General Service Conference was held at the Hotel Commodore [right, c. 1940] in New York City. Advisory Actions, all unanimous, included:

• That Conference Committee Secretaries… serve in an advisory capacity only, and… not… vote.
• Reaffirm the stand taken by the 1951 Conference as follows: “This conference has no desire to review, edit, or censor non-Foundation mate-
  rial. Our object is to provide, in the future, a means of distinguishing Foundation literature from that issued locally or by non-A.A. interests.”
• The pamphlet “Sedatives” be given first priority in issuance of revisions of existing pamphlets.

1958: The 8th General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous was held at the Prince George Hotel [left, c. early 2000s] in New York City. Area Delegates included one from Alaska and one from Puerto Rico. 
    Two advisory actions of interest were:

• That Area 9 (Mid-Southern California) be recognized.
• That A.A.…
  
  recognize the original use of the word ‘honest’ before ‘desire to stop drinking’ and its deletion from the Traditions as part of the evolution of the A.A. movement. Any change to be left to the discretion of A.A. Publishing, Inc.
  
  This was with regard to a proposal to…
  
  change the wording of the so-called “Grapevine description” of the movement [i.e., the Preamble] so that this conforms with the third Tradition in omitting the word “honest.”

    That summer, the Board would vote to remove “honest” from the Preamble.

1990: The 40th General Service Conference was held at the Omni Park Central Hotel [right, 2012] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• The A.A. History book project continue… the time frame covered be expanded to include 1955 [on].
• The manuscript of the daily reflections book be approved with the following specific changes…
• The proposal for a pamphlet on the spiritual aspects of A.A. not be approved.
• [That] a standing committee for central and intergroup offices not be formed…
• [Revise] the Twelve Concepts section in The A.A. Service Manual,… the short form of Concepts as the “Table of Contents,” followed by the long form and introduction.
• [That] items discussed, but no action taken or recommendation made,… committee recommendations which are not adopted, be included in a separate section in the Conference Final Report.
• [Denied] a request from ICYPAA that a member of their advisory council be allowed to attend the General Service Conference as an observer.
• [Denied a Delegate request] that the resumes of nominees for… trustee[s] be sent to all delegates.

Today in A.A. History—April 23–29

1989: The 39th General Service Conference was held at the Omni Park Central Hotel [above right] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• [To not] send complete audited financial statements to each delegate as soon as they are available has not been demonstrated, but that they will be made available upon request (available about April 1st, each year).
• [That] the Grapevine develop an ongoing A.A. history section,… including area and regional histories.
• [That] work continue on a … book on A.A. History from 1955, [that] focuses on major events and developments [since then] rather than focusing on the beginning of A.A. and the history of the 91 areas…
• … “The A.A. Group” be thoroughly revised to address the many issues and concerns related to A.A. groups which come before the committee year after year such as: the difference between a group and a meeting; meeting formats; how to obtain a group conscience; the duties of trusted servants and their alternates; and others as described in an outline of contents submitted by the trustees’ Literature Committee.
• A pamphlet for gay and lesbian alcoholics be approved… the title be “A.A. and the Gay/Lesbian Alcoholic.”
• [That] General Service Conference committee items discussed, but no action taken or recommendation made, not be included in the Final Report.
• Rectify contradictions and inconsistencies between The AA. Service Manual and legal charters and by-laws.

2006: The 56th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza [left] Times Square in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

8. The word “donation” be replaced with the word “contribution” in A.A.W.S. literature as it comes up for reprint.
12. The pamphlet “A.A. for the Native North American” be revised.
13. The word “largely” be added to the 2nd sentence, 2nd paragraph of the preface to the 4th Edition of the Big Book on p. xi, so that the sentence reads:

“Therefore, the first portion of this volume, describing the A.A. recovery program, has been left largely untouched in the course of revisions made for the second, third, and fourth editions…”

14. The word “largely” be added to the 2nd sentence, 1st paragraph in the Introduction to the book, Experience, Strength, and Hope, on p. ix, so that the sentence reads:

“ln all four editions, the first 164 pages have remained largely unchanged…”

17. The pamphlet “Letter to A Woman Alcoholic” be discontinued.
24. The section “Marital Status” in the A.A. membership survey be retitled “Domestic Status” and revised to 4 options:

☐ Married
☐ Single
☐ Divorced
☐ Other (please specify) ________

25. The option “Internet” be added to the 2007 membership survey under Question 11 (“Please indicate no more than two of the following entities that you feel were most influential in your decision to come to your first A.A. meeting”).
28. The graphic, “Service Structure Inside the A.A. Group,” as it appeared in the 1998–99 edition of The A.A. Service Manual, be restored in Chapter Two.
36. The 2006 revised Bylaws of the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, Inc., be approved.
37. The 2006 Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the General Service Board, be approved.

2017: The 67th General Service Conference was held at the Hilton Westchester [right] in Rye Brook, New York. Advisory Actions included:

1. In the spirit of unity and inclusiveness, G.S.O. strive to provide Conference background materials in English by February 15 and Spanish and French by the first week in March, beginning with the 68th Conference.
3. A.A. Grapevine, Inc. create a Google for Nonprofits account, with use of the account limited to the YouTube Nonprofit Program and with a guarantee that comments not be shown on the YouTube pages.
8. The pamphlet “Three Talks to Medical Societies by Bill W.” be retired.
23. The pamphlet “The A.A. Group” be revised to add the following three paragraphs from “Safety and A.A.: Our Common Welfare” (SMF-209) to the section “Principles Before Personalities”:

“Safety is an important issue within A.A.… For this reason, groups and members discuss the topic of safety,”

followed by

“For more information see ‘Safety and A.A.: Our Common Welfare’ (SMF-209) [at] www.aa.org.”

25. The 2018 General Service Conference move ahead with electronic voting to be used for all Conference voting, with the exception of elections for regional trustees and trustees-at-large, which are conducted by ballot.
26. The trustees’ Committee on the Conference develop a plan for the equitable distribution of the workload of Conference committees by combining and/or creating committees for review by the 2018 Conference Committee on Policy/Admissions.
34. Four paragraphs be added to chapter four of The A.A. Service Manual under the section head “Area Websites.”
35. The Bylaws of A.A. World Services, Inc. and A.A. Grapevine, Inc. be added to The A.A. Service Manual as appendices.
36. A new section on the General Service Board’s “Mission-Vision-Action Statement” be added to chapter nine of The A.A. Service Manual.
39. The pamphlet “A.A. for the Alcoholic with Special Needs” be approved with suggested changes and retitled “Accessibility for All Alcoholics.”
45. The Bylaws of the General Service Board., as revised, be approved at the annual meeting of the General Service Board in April 2017.

2023: The 73rd General Service Conference was held at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge [left] in Brooklyn. Advisory Actions included:

• The G.S.B. is asked to undertake an inventory prior to the 74th G.S.C.. To assist the Board in this endeavor, the 73rd G.S.C. will establish a working group to aid the G.S.B. in formulating possible inventory questions.
• The G.S.C. conduct a thorough inventory of itself during the 2025 G.S.C. and that a Conference Inventory Planning Committee be established by the G.S.B. to develop a comprehensive plan.
• All materials produced and maintained by A.A. World Services, AA Grapevine, La Viña, and the General Service Office (GSO), each item comes up for reprint or revision, clarify that the General Service Board is the entity which receives all voluntary A.A. contributions and that GSO performs contribution processing.
• The Trustees’ Finance and Budgetary Committee develop additional ways to report quarterly the fiscal performance of the AAWS, GSB and GV Boards throughout the year to the members of the GSC for the purposes of transparency and reporting to the A.A. Fellowship.
• Work on the draft pamphlet based on A.A.’s Three Legacies cease; material gathered be used as service material.
• Amended “Process for Polling the General Service Conference Between Annual Meetings Using Virtual Technology.”
• Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 be re-written to correct inaccuracies and to better clarify the roles, responsibilities and relationships between the GSO, AA Grapevine, and A.A.W.S. in The A.A. Service Manual.

April 22 in A.A. History

1957: Broadcasting Telecasting magazine, known as “The Business-weekly of Radio and Television” [right: masthead], published a brief item titled “‘Mr. Hope’ on WWJ-TV” [left], about a show airing in Detroit, Michigan. 
    The article described the program as follows:

… a public service program instituted by WWJ-TV, which describes the plight of the problem drinker. Designed to tell the public about the work of Alcoholics Anonymous, Mr. Hope frequently features a panel of physicians and businessmen to discuss drinking problems and to encourage individuals with such difficulties to turn to the [sic] AA.

1974: Time magazine [right: cover] published a cover story titled “Alcoholism: New Victims, New Treatments,” stating:

    Most of the methods owe a large debt to Alcoholics Anonymous, the oldest, the big­gest (650,000 to 750,000 members) and still the most successful organization by far for helping alcoholics.… And, write Sociologists Harrison Trite and Paul Roman: “Despite lay leadership, A.A. has apparently achieved a success rate that surpasses those of professional therapies.”

    The issue also featured two related articles: “Behavior: The Effects of Alcohol” and “Behavior: The Price of Alcoholism: Five Case Histories.”

2004: Robert Holbrook “Smitty” S., Jr. [left], 85, the son of Anne and Dr. Bob S. died. He was the last living witness to the first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous’ co-founders, his father and Bill W.

2012: Ruth O., 97, of Toms River, New Jersey, died with 68 years and 8 days of sobriety. At the time of her death, she may have had the longest period of continuous sobriety of any member to date. Well-known for her “Ruth’s Prayer” [right], she also knew and assisted Dr. William D. Silkworth, who authored the letters in “The Doctor's Opinion” in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

2022: Нэргүй архичин үйлчилгээний гарын авлага (The Mongolian A.A. Service Manual), approved by the 13th Mongolian A.A. Conference, went into effect. Following this, the Mongolian General Service Board elected Tseegii to represent Mongolia at the World A.A. Service Meeting in October.

Today in A.A. History—April 22–24

1949: The Second Annual Tri-State (West Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado) Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous took place in Amarillo, Texas. The Herring Hotel [left, 1940], 311 SE 3rd Ave., served as the conference headquarters, with additional events held at the Washington Club, located at 2024 [S.] Washington St. [right: front of program].

Today in A.A. History—April 22–27

1968: The 18th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [left, 2008] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• To conduct a survey among A.A. members in order to gather more meaningful information regarding the effectiveness of the A.A. program of recovery.
• The first World Service Meeting be held in New York City, in the fall of 1969.
• Approved a proposition to issue the World Directory in two editions—one for the United States and Canada, the second for other countries.
• Quebec be granted a third bilingual Delegate to be elected as a member of Panel 19. The… newly designated Conference area to be called the Northeast area of Quebec.
• Since the language of the General Service Conference is English, and since [it] is not equipped to provide translators,… it is desirable that Delegates elected to the Conference should have knowledge of English for their own benefit and for the benefit of their areas.
• Stressed the need for better communication between the Delegates, Committee Members, G.S.R.’s [sic] and groups, pointing out that better informed groups will support G.S.O. without the need of a “hard sell” from the Delegate.

1974: The 24th General Service Conference was held at the Hotel Roosevelt [above left] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• That in memory of A.A.’s co-founders, the last talk of each be prepared in pamphlet form and distributed [left: original pamphlet].
• Part I (U.S. and Canada) of the World Directory be divided into three sections, each section subdivided by region…
• Work be scheduled so that Part II of the World Directory (all other countries) may be distributed before summer.
• [Citing Tradition 3,] affirmed that all A.A. groups… be listed in the World Directory [R]eview and return completed draft of Conference Report one week after its receipt.
• Committee members receive agendas for their committee only, but other committees’ agenda be sent upon request.
• The wording of the Eleventh Tradition remain as is, and that delegates explain that “TV” is implicit in the last phrase of the Tradition: “… at the level of press, radio, and films.”

Today in A.A. History—April 22–28

1979: The 29th General Service Conference was held at the Hotel Roosevelt [above left] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

• That the names of “alcohol and pills” groups not be listed in the A.A. directories.
• [That] “Problems Other Than Alcohol” be Conference-approved.
• The Twelve Steps of A.A. be [added] in the pamphlet “Too Young?”…
• The pamphlet for the older alcoholic be approved… “Now It’s Time to Start Living”.…
• The biographies of Dr. Bob and Bill W. be… separate books [vs] a joint biography.
• [That] no… ceiling be set on the number of G.S.O./GV staff eligible to vote, but that the delegates never have less than 66⅔% of the total Conference votes.

2001: The 51st General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [above left] in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

4. If the Reserve Fund exceeds the 12-month upper limit we allow a one year to review the Reserve Fund level, and a second year to formulate actions to reduce the Reserve Fund below its maximum.
5. La Viña continue to be published by the A.A. Grapevine, Inc. as a service to the Fellowship.
6. La Viña continue to be published utilizing A.A. Grapevine, Inc. resources to achieve efficiencies in production and distribution.
9. The Fourth Edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, be approved, while the Publications Dept. follow specific editorial responsibilities:
• Editorial 'fine tuning' such as footnotes, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, updating, jacket materials, page numbers, etc.
• G.S.O. editors prepare or coordinate new material and changes such as: 
New Material: cover and jacket design, jacket copy, Preface, Foreword to the Fouth Edition.
Changes: title page, contents page, factual material in footnotes, introductions to personal stories.
12. The Twelve Concepts (short form), with a brief introduction, be added to the Appendices Section in future printings of the Big Book.
13. G.S.O.’s A.A. Web site address be added to the Appendix “How to Get in Touch With A.A.” in future printings of the Big Book.
14. The pamphlet “Can A.A. Help Me Too?—Black/African Americans Share Their Stories” be approved.
15. A pamphlet titled “A.A. for the Older Alcoholic—It’s Never Too Late” replace the pamphlet “Time to Start Living” be approved.
16. The pamphlet “A.A. for the Older Alcoholic—It’s Never Too Late” be  in 14 point type, large-print format only, to fit current literature racks.
23. Under “Third Legacy Procedure” in Chapter One, p. S21 of The A.A. Service Manual, the sentence
“At this point, balloting usually involves only the top two or three candidates”
be replaced with:
“At this point, the top two candidates remain. In case there are ties for first place, all tied first place candidates remain. In case there are no ties for first place, the top candidate and any tied second-place candidates remain.”
24. “Telephone A.A. meetings” that ask to be listed in A.A. Directories be added to the section “International Correspondence Meetings” on Page V under a section to be titled “Telephone Meetings.”

2007: The 57th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza [right] Times Square in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

7. On page 7, paragraph 3 of “Self-Support. Where Money and Spirituality Mix" (F-3), add “G.S.R. travel expenses to attend service functions” be added within the parentheses of “Once the basic group expenses have been taken care of (rent, refreshments, A. A. literature, local meeting lists)…”.
9. The following text from The A.A. Service Manual be added to “The A.A. Group” and the “G.S.R.” pamphlets: “Financial Support: Current experience indicates that many groups provide financial support for their general service representativesto attend service functions.”
10. The title of the pamphlet “Black/African Americans Share Their Stories” be changed to “A.A. for the Black and African American Alcoholic.”
12. The Spanish-language Third Edition Big Book, Alcohólicos Anónimos, be produced, keeping in mind the 2004 Conference Advisory Action on contents, story selection, and process, as follows:
a) similar in page count to the English Fourth Edition Big Book.
b) undertake a complete review of the first 164 pages, Preface, Forewards, “The Doctor’s Opinion,” “Dr. Bob’s Nightmare," and Appendices for accuracy of translation and consistency of style and tone.
c) Personal stories should retain selected stories from the 2nd edition, from La Viña, and from Spanish-speaking members, and grouped into three sections similar to the English 4th edition.
23. On p. S29 of The A.A. Service Manual, replace
“ln the majority of areas, a district includes six to 20 groups. In metropolitan districts, the number is generally 15 to 20 groups, while in rural or suburban districts the number can be as small as five.”
with:
“The number of groups per district varies widely, from as few as five in a rural district to 90 or more in a metropolitan district. Population density and the geographic size of the district, which will affect the ability of the D.C.M. to communicate with the groups, would be key factors determining the number of groups a district will have.”
25. The Publications Dept. insert into The A.A. Service Manual the inverted triangle graphic that appears in the General Service Conference manual.
29. Election of trustees and officers left the General Service Board short one Class B regional trustee.
32. ln accord with the G.S.B. Bylaws, the Board consider all eligible Class A (nonalcoholic) and Class B (alcoholic) trustees when selecting their Chair.
33. Amend the April 2006 Bylaws of the G.S.B. to read:
“In the case of a Class B trustee, the maximum term of service of such successor member trustee shall be limited to that number of one-year terms which would result in the term of service of the successor member trustee ending at the same time as the term of the replaced member trustee would have ended, if no vacancy had occurred and the replaced member trustee had served four successive one-year terms.”

2012: The 62nd General Service Conference was held at the Hilton Rye Town [left] in Rye Brook, New York. Advisory Actions included:

1. The Conference supports the G.S.B.’s developmentof a plan to restructure A.A. World Services, lnc. and A.A. Grapevine, Inc., corporate and governance structures. The plan may, among other things, address the separate corporate existenceof both entities, as well as issues of governance and operations.The plan will be designed to increase unity, better reach and connect the G.S.O. and Grapevine to the broader Fellowship while addressing financial stability. The plan will be submitted to the 63rd General Service Conference for approval prior to implementation.
5. Designated which inventory questions listed in the “INVENTORY PLAN” (approved by the 61st G.S.C.) be discussed in the 63rd, 64th, and 65th G.S.C.s.
14. The revised pamphlet “A.A. and the Armed Services” be approved.
15. The short form of the Twelve Concepts for World Service be added to the book As Bill Sees It.
16. The final revision of Living Sober, with changes to outdated language or practices, be approved with minor editorial changes.
26. All changes to The A.A. Service Manual be noted by changebars in the edition in which the change appears for the first time.
27. The following term and definition be added to The A.A. Service Manual in Chapter One, “Introduction to General Service,” in
the section titled “Glossary of General Service Terms”    :
"Rotation—the spiritual principle of sharing the responsibility for A.A. through changing leadership.”

2018: The 68th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza [above right] Manhattan in New York City. Advisory Actions included:

11. The 61st [sic] General Service Conference be held May 1-7, 2011 [sic].
22. The Online Intergroup of A.A. (OIAA) be listed in a new [sub-]section titled “Online Intergroups” under the section “lnternational Correspondence Meetings” in the A.A. Directories [above] the “Online Meetings” [sub-section].
25. Elections of trustees and officers of the General Service Board will leave the Board short one Class B (alcoholic) regional trustee.
28. Elections of directors of the A.A. Grapevine Corporate Board will leave the Board short one Class A (non-alcoholic) trustee.