A Dozen Steps

Significant May Dates in A.A. History

by Mark on May 3rd, 2008

Significant May Dates in A.A. History

from AA History Lovers at Yahoo! Groups;

May 1919 - Bill returns home from service.
(Dec 1934 to) May 1935 - Bill works with alcoholics, but fails to sober any of them. Lois reminds him HE is still sober.
March-May 1938 - Bill begins writing the book Alcoholics Anonymous.
May 1939 - Lois W Home Replacement Fund started at Alcoholic Foundation.
May 1949 - The first AA meetings in Scotland were held in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
May 1950 - Nell Wing became Bill W’s secretary.
May 1951 - Al-Anon is founded by Lois W. and Anne B.
May 1, 1939 - Bank forecloses on 182 Clinton Street. (sometimes reported as April 26, 1939)
May 1, 1940 - Rollie H, Cleveland Indians, first anonymity break on national level.
May 1, 1941 - The first Wisconsin AA meeting was held at a hotel in Milwaukee.
May 2, 1941 - Jacksonville, FL newspaper reported the start of an AA group in Jacksonville.
May 3, 1941 - The first AA group in New Orleans, Louisiana, was formed. (sometimes dated as May 2, 1943)
May 3, 1941 - Democrat Chronicle in Rochester, NY, reported first annual AA dinner at Seneca hotel with 60 attending.
May 4, 1940 - Sunday Star reported founding of first AA group in Washington, DC.
May 6, 1939 - Clarence S of Cleveland told Dr. Bob, his sponsor, he would not be back to Oxford Group meetings in Akron and would start an “AA” meeting in Cleveland.
May 6, 1946 - The long form of the “Twelve Traditions” was published in the AA Grapevine.
May 8, 1943 - Akron AA Group celebrates 8th anniversary with 500 present and sober.
May 8, 1971 - Bill W buried in private ceremony, East Dorset, Vermont.
May 10, 1939 - Clarence S announced to the Akron Oxford Group members that the Cleveland members were starting a meeting in Cleveland and calling it Alcoholics Anonymous.
May 11, 1935 - Bill W made calls from the Mayflower Hotel and was referred to Dr. Bob.
May 11, 1939 - first group to officially call itself Alcoholics Anonymous met at Abby G’s house in Cleveland. (some sources say the 18th)
May 12, 1935 @ 5 pm - Bill W met Doctor Bob at the home of Henrietta Seiberling.
May 15, 1961 - Bill W’s mother, Dr Emily Strobell, died.
May 16, 1941 - Ruth Hock finds that Joe W. (or V.), credited with coming up with the name Alcoholics Anonymous, has a “wet brain”.
May 17, 1942 - The Dayton Journal Herald published pictures of AA members wearing masks to protect their anonymity.
May 17, 1942 - New Haven, Conn paper has article on AA. Picture shows faces of members sitting in a circle.
May 18, 1950 - Dr. Bob tells Bill “I reckon we ought to be buried like other folks” after hearing that local AA’s want a huge memorial.
May 19, 2000 - Dr. Paul O., Big Book story “Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict” (renamed “Acceptance Was the Answer” in the 4th edition) died at the age of 83.
May 28, 1974 - The first World Service Meeting of AA outside North America was held in London.
May 29, 1980 - “Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers” was published.

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