Significant July Dates in A.A. History
|
July 1939 - Warren C. joined A.A. Cleveland, caused debate because he was not
hospitalized. (DBGO pg. 102)
July 1944 - Dr. Bob writes article for Grapevine "On Cultivating Tolerance".
July 1946 - Grapevine reports: The Indianapolis Group now numbers about 275
members. There are five sectional groups: Broad Ripple (bi-partitioned this
spring because of luxuriant growth), East Side, West Side, Women's Group
and the Meyerson Group. The present arrangement provides a meeting by
one of the sub-groups every night in the week.
July 1947 - Grapevine reports article: "Do You Like Alky?" from J.B. Muncie, Indiana.
July 1948 - Grapevine reports: Indianapolis A.A.s Open Club.
July 1949 - Grapevine reports: Mail Call for A.A.s at Home and Abroad from R.H. from
Richmond, Indiana.
July 1962 - 'Victor E' cartoon first appeared in Grapevine. (some say May 1962).
July 1-3, 1960 - 25th Anniversary of AA in Long Beach, CA.
July 2-3, 1955 - 20th Anniversary Convention at St. Louis, MO. The Three Legacies, of
Recovery, Unity, and Service, turned over to the movement by the old
timers. AA comes of Age.
July 2, 1965 - "Best of Bill" and Pocket-Sized "12 and 12" 1st sold.
July 2, 1965 - 1st "La Vigne", Canadian Grapevine, published.
July 2-4, 1965 - 30th Anniversary of AA in Toronto. Adopted "I Am Responsible."
July 2, 1993 - 50 years of AA celebrated in Canada.
July 2, 2000 - 20 millionth copy of Big Book given to Al-Anon in Minneapolis, MN.
July 3-5, 1970 - 35th Anniversary of AA in Miami. "Declaration of Unity". Bill's last
public appearance.
July 3-6, 1980 - 45th Anniversary of AA in New Orleans. First true marathon
meeting was held.
July 4, 1939 - 1st AA meeting started in Flatbush, NY.
July 4-6, 1975 - 40th Anniversary of AA in Denver. Worlds largest coffee server serves
1/2 million cups a day.
July 5-7, 1985 - 50th AA Anniversary in Montreal, Canada. Ruth Hock given
5,000,000th Big Book. House of Seagrams flew their flags at half mast
for 3 days.
July 5-8, 1990 - 55th AA Anniversary in Seattle, WA. Nell Wing given
10,000,000th Big Book.
July 7, 1940 - Bill attends 1st Summer Session at School of Alcohol Studies
at Yale University.
July 8, 1940 - 1st AA Group formed in Dayton, Ohio.
July 10, 1941 - Texas newspaper publishes anonymous letter from founding member of
Texas AA Group. (Larry J)
July 11, 1960 - Time published article called "Passionately Anonymous" on the
25th Convention.
July 14, 1939 - Dr Tiebout gives Big Book to Marty M., who promptly throws it back at him.
July 14, 1979 - Dr. Ernest Kurtz publishes NOT-GOD, History of AA.
July 15, 1938 - 1st documented use name Alcoholics Anonymous, A.A. archives letter
Bill to Willard Richardson.
July 16, 1965 - Frank Amos, AA Non-Alcoholic Trustee, dies.
July 18, 1938 - in letter to Dr. Richards at Johns Hopkins, Bill used Alcoholics
Anonymous as working title for Big Book & name for the fellowship.
July 18, 1976 - Indy Star Mag. articles “Hope For The Alcoholic”. This was a excerpt
of the book "The Booze Battle", by Ruth Maxwell. Also, has a story by
Susan Lennis, "Help For Indiana's Problem Drinkers."
July 20, 1941 - First AA group formed in Seattle, Washington.
July 22, 1877 - Willian Duncan Silkworth born in Brooklyn, NY.
July 22, 1980 - Marty M. early AA woman and founder of NCADD dies.
July 23, 1940 - Philly AA's send 10% of kitty to Alcoholic Foundation, sets precedent.
July 23, 1943 - New Haven CT Register reports arrival of AA's to study with E M Jellinek.
July 24, 1943 - L.A. press reports formation of all-Mexican AA Group.
July 27, 1972 - UAW – GM, plan alcoholic aid program reported in the Delco Sparks.
July 28-30, 1950 - First AA International Convention held in Cleveland, Ohio. Twelve
Traditions adopted. Dr. Bob made last appearance at large AA gathering.
July 29, 1941 - The Day In Indiana article of the Muncie Star,
report on Alcoholics Anonymous
July 31, 1972 - Rollie H dies sober in Washington DC.
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