June 2 in A.A. History

1944: Marty M. [left] wrote a letter on lavender^* stationery from her 48th Street address in New York City to Paul H., Esq. [right, 1954], located at Man. Ave, N.W. [Massachusetts Ave. NW], Washington, D.C. In the letter, she stated in part:   

    I don’t remember whether I told you anything of my pet project when I was there – [inserting above the line] or you were here – making alcoholism respectable. In any case, I worked out a practical feasible place for beginning a campaign of education on a nation-wide scale. It needed scientific backing and it needed funds. Both have since been provided by Yale, where, as you probably know, Drs. Haggard & Jellinek of the Laboratory of Applied Physiology have established 1) a Section on Alcohol Studies, 2) a summer school of Studies in Alcohol, 3) the Quarterly Journal of Studies in Alcohol, 4) The Yale Plan – which has opened two free clinics, one in Hartford, one in New Haven, for alcoholics. Apparently, they were just getting ready for project no. 5 – an educational campaign – when my plan turned up, they accepted it – and me.

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^*Marty selected lavender as the color for the National Council on Alcoholism stationery. This versatile, aromatic shrub is renowned for its stunning purple flowers and calming fragrance, and it boasts a variety of uses.
    Lavender flowers represent purity, calmness, devotion, and serenity, while the color purple signifies royalty, elegance, and luxury. Historically, lavender has been incorporated into rituals, perfumes, and even ancient Roman baths; its name originates from the Latin word lavare, meaning “to wash.” Furthermore, amethyst, a lavender-hued quartz, was thought by early Greek and Roman cultures to protect its owner from drunkenness.
    Since at least the early 20th century, lavender has symbolized queer identity, resilience, and resistance within the LGBTQ+ community. Historically, this color has served both as a discreet means of identifying fellow queer individuals and as a bold statement of empowerment.
    I’m unsure how much of this Marty was aware of, but I would be quite surprised if she didn’t know about the queer connection.

1947: After nearly a year without contact with the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City, Herbert “Herb” V., a loner residing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [left: aerial view, 1945], became increasingly worried about his sobriety. Previously, he had received information about two potential A.A. contacts—Don Newton and Douglas Calders—and a possible recruit named Recife after reaching out to the Foundation the previous June. To alleviate his concerns, Herb decided to start an A.A. group in Rio. He wrote again to the Foundation, explaining that he had been unable to locate either Don or Douglas. Herb also noted that he and his wife had adapted well to life in Brazil and requested additional names and addresses of potential A.A. members in the area.
    The Foundation’s reply, from Margaret “Bobbie” Burger, the National Secretary, said that “Lynn Goodale and Don Newton have left Rio de Janeiro,” and included a concerned plea: “Don’t let another year go by without correspondence.” It provided the couple—evidently, it was Herb’s wife who had been writing the letters—with Douglas’s new address.
    The exchange of letters between the Alcoholic Foundation and Herb continued. In his next letter, Herb sent a card with his name and address, officially registering himself as an A.A. contact in Brazil.

June in A.A. History—day unknown

1923: Bill W. had been expected to graduate from Brooklyn Law School [right: Brooklyn Eagle Building, home of Brooklyn Law School, 1923], but he did not complete his degree because he failed a course on “Executors and Administrators,” which covered wills, estates, and trusts.