April 11 in A.A. History

1939: Hank P. placed a small ad for the book Alcoholics Anonymous in The New York Times [left: in context]. The ad, which cost $200 [~$4,700 in 2026], ran on page 2 and proved to be a worthwhile investment. It generated a considerable number of direct responses, and, as Hank had hoped, The New York Times published a positive review of the book two and a half months later.

1939: Bill W. had reserved one first-edition copy of Alcoholics Anonymous as a Christmas gift for Lois and submitted two copies to the Library of Congress to initiate the copyright registration. He and Hank Parkhurst sent the next 29 copies to the contributing authors of the stories in the book. The following 40 copies were allocated to non-alcoholic subscribers of Works Publishing’s stock. This left only 40 copies available to sell, which, at the list price of $3.50 [~$82 in 2026], would have generated only $140 [~$3,290 in 2026] for the Alcoholic Foundation.

1939:  Margaret “Marty” M. [right: at Blythewood Sanitarium, 4 July 1938] attended her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at the Brooklyn home of Bill and Lois W., located at 182 Clinton Street.

1941: After nearly two years and, by Lois’s count, stays in 52 different places, Bill and Lois W. moved into their own home [left] in Bedford Hills, New York, which they initially named “Bil-Lo’s Break.” This period of instability followed the foreclosure on the Burnham home at 182 Clinton Street in Brooklyn, where Lois had been born and lived until 1927. In 1944, they would rename their Bedford Hills home “Stepping Stones.”

April 10 in A.A. History

1939: Alcoholics Anonymous [right] was first published in an initial print run of 4,650 copies (some sources say 4,730). The publisher, Cornwall Press, was instructed to use the thickest paper stock available, resulting in a large, bulky volume that became known as the “Big Book,” a name that has endured. Bill W. later wrote that the thick paper was intentionally chosen to make alcoholics feel that they were getting their money’s worth. Given Works Publishing’s precarious financial situation, Cornwall Press minimized its risk by binding only 1,000 copies, leaving the remainder unbound. Works Publishing was billed $1,783.15 [~$41,900 in 2026], of which $884.26—just under half—had already been paid. Bill and Hank P. drove to the Cornwall Press bookbinder’s office in New York City to pick up 112 copies, returning the next day for three more. Bill set aside the first copy from the first box as a Christmas gift for his wife, Lois.
    Evidently, copyright had received little consideration before the book’s publication. Ruth Hock’s initial package was sent to Fitz M.—he and Florence R. were in Washington, D.C., trying to establish the first local A.A. group. It contained two copies of the first printing of the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous and a letter with the following instructions:

    We are forwarding to you today, two copies of “Alcoholics Anonymous” and a check for $2.00 [~$47 in 2026], and wonder if you would do something which would be very helpful at this end. It is important that “Alcoholics Anonymous” be registered at the Copywright [sic] Office in Washington, D.C. in the name of Works Publishing Company at the earliest possible moment [left: application for copyright]…
    The two books for copywright [sic] purposes are coming forward to you marked special handling, special delivery, so will you rush them through for us?
    A book for you and also one for Florence are also in the mail, but regular delivery.
    Will you let us know the minute you have “Alcoholics Anonymous” registered?

1958: The International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA) announced its inaugural conference in a press release [near right]. The conference was scheduled for 26–27 April 1958, at the Niagara Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York [far right: Niagara Falls, New York, from Goat Island; Hotel Niagara is red building with curved exterior left of center (Mar 2019)]

1979: Barry L. signed a notarized letter [left] donating his original spiral-bound multilith copy of Alcoholics Anonymous—a copy his good friend, Lois W., had temporarily gifted to him. The letter stipulated that Barry would retain possession of the book until his death, at which time it would be transferred to A.A. World Services, Inc.

April 9 in A.A. History

1947: After Bill W. spoke at a large Alcoholics Anonymous open meeting in Los Angeles, California [right: downtown, 1947], he was approached by a local member in the recording industry who offered to record his talks for a small fee. Back home, Bill shortened his talk and made a wire recording, which was then pressed into a 16" record. Bill engaged Rockhill Radio Company, a New York City-based company on 50th Street with no ties to A.A. that agreed to press individual records on demand. This arrangement ensured that the Alcoholic Foundation office would not incur costs or have to manage inventory. Bill also negotiated an agreement whereby the Foundation office would handle all orders and sales revenue, lowering the price of the records for A.A. members.
    The identity of the member in Los Angeles is unknown. However, the A.A. Archives at G.S.O. include a yellowed business card from Specialty Records,^* located at 2719 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, with the handwritten name “Art” on the back. Arthur “Art” Rupe (born Arthur Goldberg) [left] founded Specialty Records in 1946, and may well be connected to this interaction. It is unknown whether Art was the member who made the suggestion, or simply someone whom the member put Bill in touch with.

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^*Specialty Records [right: their Greatest Hits album], an record label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by Art Rupe, was renowned for rhythm and blues, gospel, and early rock ’n’ roll. The label recorded artists such as Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Percy Mayfield, and Lloyd Price. Rupe initially named the company Juke Box Records but changed it to Specialty in 1946 after parting ways with his original partners. In the 1980s, his daughter, Beverly, revived the label. Specialty also owned music publishing companies, Venice Music (for BMI-licensed songs) and Greenwich Music (for ASCAP-licensed songs). Fantasy Records acquired the Specialty label in 1991, and it is now part of the Concord Music Group, while Sony/ATV Music Publishing purchased the music publishing unit.

Today in A.A. History—April 9–10

2021: Kansas City Group 1 of Kansas City, Missouri, celebrated its 80th anniversary online [left: flyer].

April 8 in A.A. History

1932: Bill W., Arthur E. Wheeler [right, c. 1956], and Frank F. Winans formed a stock-buying syndicate. Gardner Swentzel, Bill’s brother-in-law, had introduced him to Wheeler and Winans. Wheeler, whose father founded the American Can Company, was a director of the company and held a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. Winans was the Resident Vice President of The National City Co., an investment securities firm in Chicago. Believing it was an opportune time to invest in the stock market, the three men agreed that each partner would contribute capital, and Wilson was appointed manager of the syndicate.
    However, Winans, aware of Bill’s worsening drinking problem—which had recently resulted in his firing after a drunken incident involving a taxi driver—insisted on a clause that would void the contract and forfeit Bill's initial investment should he drink anything at all. Bill, who had given his $2,000 [~$47,700 in 2026] severance check from that firing to his wife, Lois, took it back to invest in the syndicate.

1939: As the first copies of Alcoholics Anonymous were nearing print at Cornwall Press, Frank Amos [far left] wrote to Willard Richardson [near left] to announce their imminent arrival. Aware that Richardson was unwell, Amos advised him to remain home until fully recovered. He also noted that he had already arranged for A. LeRoy Chipman [right] to receive the books at Rockefeller Center. Amos then instructed Richardson to immediately send five copies to the following individuals:

    Dr. [Harry Emerson] Fosdick; Rev. M. J. Lavelle, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral; Mrs. [E. L.] Ballard [whom Richardson had solicited for funds the previous October]; Mrs. Charles L. Burke, at 375 Riverside Drive [who had made an “anonymous” contribution of $50 (~$1,560 in 2026) to the Foundation the previous summer or fall]; Mr. [Albert] Scott

    Amos suggested inscribing each book’s front flyleaf with a note such as “Compliments of the ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS.” In a handwritten postscript to the typed letter, Amos added, “You may want to place a copy in Mr. [John D. Rockefeller] [left] Junior’s hands.”
    Amos, Richardson, and Chipman were all associates of Mr. Rockefeller, as well as Class A (non-alcoholic) trustees of the Alcoholic Foundation.

1947: Following a year of difficult discussions about policy and structure, Bill W. presented a 43-page report, “Our AA General Service Center—The Alcoholic Foundation of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” to the Trustees of the Alcoholic Foundation. Echoing concerns he expressed in a 10 July 1946, letter to the Trustees, the report detailed the Foundation’s history and proposed both the creation of an experimental General Service Conference and the renaming of the Foundation to the “General Service Board.” Bill hoped to prepare A.A. for its “coming of age,” but the Trustees initially reacted defensively, their passive resistance eventually solidifying into outright opposition, as they saw no need for change.

1950: Illustrated magazine [left: cover] (London, UK) published Willi Frischauer’s article, “Alcoholics Anonymous,” accompanied by 8 photographs spread across 3½ pages [right: the 3½ pages].

April 7 in A.A. History

1939: Ruth Hock [left] informed Edward Blackwell, president of Cornwall Publishing, where to send the first copies of Alcoholics Anonymous upon completion of printing. In her letter, she requested that 6 copies be sent to Frank Amos [right] and 12 to Willard Richardson [left], both non-alcoholic trustees of the Alcoholic Foundation. Hock added, “It is Mr. [Hank] P――’s understanding that these will be delivered on Monday, April 10th, without fail.” Amos intended to take all 6 copies to Ohio the following day, while Richardson requested 2 copies for himself and the remaining 10 for the Alcoholic Foundation.
    That same day, Hank wrote to both men, telling them that they should expect the book on Monday and requesting prompt payment. Knowing that Richardson was ill, Amos contacted A. LeRoy Chipman [right], another non-alcoholic trustee, and asked him to accept the delivery on behalf of the Alcoholic Foundation.

1941: Following the March 1 publication of Jack Alexander’s article, “Alcoholics Anonymous: Freed Slaves of Drink, Now They Free Others” in The Saturday Evening Post [left: cover], the Alcoholic Foundation received 1,500 letters requesting assistance, according to Ruth Hock. Ruth, Bill W., and Margaret “Bobbie” B. [right] quickly realized they couldn’t manage the correspondence alone. Form letters were inadequate; each required a personalized, thoughtful response. Anticipating this surge, Lois W. had already organized typing teams and scheduled non-typists to answer phones. Despite these preparations, the volume of requests overwhelmed them, eventually reaching 8,000 letters and taking five to six weeks to answer.

1944: David “Dave” B. [left] got sober in Alcoholics Anonymous. He became a founder of A.A. in the province of Quebec and served as a Class B (alcoholic) Trustee from 1962–64. His story, “Gratitude In Action,” appeared in the 4th edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

April 6 in A.A. History

1917: The U.S. enters World War I [left: p 1. of The New York Times, 6 Apr 1917].
    President Wilson [right] had asked Congress for a Declaration of War against Germany four days earlier, on Monday, 2 April, saying, 

    Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be. The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind.
    It is a war against all nations. American ships have been sunk, American lives taken, in ways which it has stirred us very deeply to learn of, but the ships and people of other neutral and friendly nations have been sunk and overwhelmed in the waters in the same way. There has been no discrimination. The challenge is to all mankind.…
    The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve.
    We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind.”

Not everyone in Congress wanted war. Nonetheless, the Senate approved the measure 82-6 that same day, while it was not until Friday at 3:12 am that the House voted in favor 373-50. President Wilson signed it that same day.

1960: A funeral Mass was held for Father Edward P. “Ed” Downing, S.J. [right]. An article about him, in Magnificat in 2016, stated in part:

    He was an old-school priest, made of the kind of fine cloth that prefers to disguise itself as sacking.  His funeral was packed.  From society matrons in mink coats to Skid Row drunks, people came from around the country to pay homage.
    “I really haven’t done anything,” Father Dowling once said. “It’s really simple. I just happened to be around.”

    He was buried in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, located in Florissant, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis [far left: grave site; near left: inscription].

April 5 in A.A. History

1960: Published on the eve of Father Ed Dowling’s funeral, an editorial in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch stated:

    The Rev. Edward Dowling, S.J., was a kindly man who never allowed kindliness to keep him from speaking his mind. He made friends wherever he went, especially among newspaper people. He left the city room for the Jesuit Seminary, but he was like the old firehorse. Crippling arthritis restricted his activities but a cane always got him to a Newspaper Guild meeting, to a party for a Pulitzer Prize winner, or any journalistic bull session which promised to bring out the “inside story” of what made the wheels turn. Eddie Dowling did not vaunt his kindliness; he used it quietly to help those who needed help. They will remember him as long as those who only learned from him that the world is never too gloomy for cheerfulness—even though it always is a little better with a dollop of bourbon and a touch of branch water.