Jan 1929 - Bill W. wrote third promise in Bible to quit drinking. (PIO 81) Jan 1939 - 400 copies of manuscript of Big Book circulated for comment, evaluation and sale. (AACOA 165-166, LR 11, 197, NG 74, 319, PIO 200) Jan 1943 - Cleveland's Central Bulletin article: "Bulletin As A Gift". (D.S., Indianapolis Founder) Jan 1944 - Dr. Harry Tiebout's first paper on the subject of "Alcoholics Anonymous" (HT 130)
The 6th printing of the First Edition of the Big Book. The book’s physical dimensions were reduced to a more conventional size. However, it continued to be called the “Big Book.” (www)
Jan 1946 - Readers Digest does a story on AA. (www) Jan 1946 - A.A. Grapevine increased the cost of a year's subscription to $2.50. (GV) Jan 1948 - A.A. Grapevine reports on The Alconon Group of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. (GV) Jan 1949 - The 12 Steps to a Slip, by R. H., Dunkirk, Indiana. (GV) Jan 1951 - AA Grapevine publishes memorial issue for Dr Bob. (GV) Jan 1958 - Bill writes article for Grapevine on "Emotional Sobriety". Jan 1, 1943 - Columbus Dispatch reports 1st Anniversary of Columbus, Ohio Central Group. (GSO-AC) Jan 2, 1889 - Sister Ignatia, born in Ballyhane Ireland. (SI 44, 306, LOH 372) Jan 2, 1896 - Harry Morgan Tiebout was born in Brooklyn, NY (HT vii) Jan 3, 1947 – Informational Meeting, at YWCA, Muncie, Indiana (local archives) Jan 4, 1940 - 1st AA group formed in Detroit, Michigan. (GSO-AC) Jan 6, 2000 - Stephen P., compiler of the Concordance to Alcoholics Anonymous, died. (www). Jan 10, 1940 - 1st AA meeting not in a home meets at King School, Akron, Ohio. (SI 35-36, DBGO 219, NW 94) Jan 13, 1989 - Dr Jack Norris Chairman/Trustee of AA for 27 years dies. (1989 GSC-FR 40) Jan 13, 2003 - Dr Earle M sober for 49 years, author of "Physician Heal Thyself" died. (www) Jan 15, 1937 - Fitz M brings AA meetings to Washington DC. (GSO-AC) Jan 17, 1953 – Dohr S., one of the Founder’s of AA in Indianapolis, IN., dies. (GSO-AC) Jan 19, 1943 - 1st discussion for starting AA group in Toronto. (GSO-AC) Jan 19, 1999 - Frank M., AA Archivist since 1983, died peacefully in his sleep. (www) Jan 20, 1947 – Muncie Evening Press, “In The Press Of Things”, The Other Visitor, article on local AA controversy. Jan 20, 1947 - Palladium-Item, A.A., advertisement. Richmond, IN. Jan 21, 1954 - Hank P who helped Bill start NY office dies in Pennington, New Jersey. (www) Jan 24, 1918 - Spurred by rumor that Bill W might soon go overseas, he and Lois were married in Brooklyn, NY. The wedding date was originally Feb. 1, Lois’s brother Roger B., was best man. (BW-RT 100, PIO 58, 407, RAA 146, BW-FH 27, WPR 57) Jan. 24, 1971 - Bill W dies at Miami Beach, FL. (AACOA xi, BW-FH 4-5, PIO 402-403) Jan 25, 1915 - Dr. Bob marries Anne Ripley after a 17 year courtship. (CH 2, DBGO 29) Jan 26, 1971 - New York Times publishes Bill's obituary on page 1. (www) Jan 28, 1947 – First Sunday Breakfast Meeting, at Blue Note is Richmond, IN. Jan 30, 1961 - Dr Carl Jung answers Bill's letter with "Spiritus Contra Spiritum". (NW 9, PIO 381-386)
SOURCE REFERENCES
Information has been gleaned from the library noted below:
12&12 Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, AAWS AABB Alcoholics Anonymous, the "Big Book" AAWS AACOA AA Comes of Age, AAWS ABSI As Bill Sees It, AAWS AGAA The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous, by Dick B (soft cover) BW-RT Bill W by Robert Thomsen (soft cover) BW-FH Bill W by Francis Hartigan (hard cover) BW-40 Bill W My First 40 Years, autobiography (hard cover) CH Children of the Healer, Bob Smith and Sue Smith Windows by Christine Brewer (soft cover) DBGO Dr Bob and the Good Old-timers, AAWS EBBY Ebby the Man Who Sponsored Bill W by Mel B (soft cover) GB Getting Better Inside Alcoholics Anonymous by Nan Robertson (soft cover) GTBT Grateful to Have Been There by Nell Wing (soft cover) GSC-FR General Service Conference - Final Report (identified by year), AAWS GSO General Service Office - Presentations and Literature, service pieces, AAWS/GSO US/Canada GSO-AC General Service Office Archives Collection Gv Grapevine - identified by month and year HIW How It Worked by Mitchell K (illustrated PDF file version) HT Harry Tiebout - the Collected Writings, Hazelden Pittman Press (soft cover) LOH The Language of the Heart, AA Grapevine Inc LR Lois Remembers, by Lois Wilson MMM Mrs Marty Mann, by Sally and David R Brown (hard cover) MSBW My Search for Bill W, by Mel B. (soft cover) NG Not God, by Ernest Kurtz (expanded edition, soft cover) NW New Wine, by Mel B (soft cover) PIO Pass It On, AAWS RAA The Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous, by Bill Pittman, nee AA the Way It Began (soft cover) SI Sister Ignatia, by Mary C Darrah (soft cover) SD Slaying the Dragon, by William L White (soft cover) SM AA Service Manual and Twelve Concepts for World Service, AAWS SW Silkworth - the Little Doctor Who Loved Drunks, by Dale Mitchell (hard cover) WPR Women Pioneers in 12 Step Recovery, by Charlotte Hunter, Billye Jones and Joan Ziegler (soft cover) www Internet Sources (e.g. Google, Microsoft Encarta, US National Archives & Records Admin. NARA, etc.)
Page numbers follow the source reference: e.g.: PIO 111, 113 = Pass It On pages 111 and 113.
Abbreviations: AA Alcoholics Anonymous GSB General Service Board AAWS AA World Services Inc. GSC General Service Conference AFG Al-Anon Family Groups MRA Moral Re-Armament BBS Big Book Story OG Oxford Group
This Timeline of A.A. History is based on information provided to the AAHistoryLovers e-group, with local "Hoosier" events added, with references.
"AA Members seem to have a warm place in their heart for AA history. AA also has a very strong verbal tradition. Much information is circulated in AA by word of mouth. This has both its good and difficult sides. How do you know what is fact and what is myth? A great deal of myth circulates by word of mouth in AA. To help address this, the timeline items in this paper (history) are cross-referenced to one or more reliable written references. The references provide both corroboration and sources for further investigation and historical research." - Arthur S., TX.