Key takeaway
A.A. began in 1935 with two men who could not stop drinking alone. You do not need the whole history tonight. A desire to stop is enough to walk in.
Last updated: Mon Oct 05 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
You do not have to pass a history test to be allowed in the room. If you are hurting tonight, the only part of this story that matters is the door. It was built by people who could not stop drinking, for the next person who cannot stop. Here is the short version. Then go to a meeting.
Two men, and two dates that are easy to mix up
A.A.'s own history page starts in 1935. A New York stockbroker and an Akron surgeon met, and that meeting became a fellowship. Their names in the rooms are Bill W. and Dr. Bob.
Keep two dates apart, because A.A. uses both and they are not the same event. A 2007 issue of Box 4-5-9 corrected an earlier newsletter that had said the two men met in Akron on June 10, 1935. The correction says the first meeting was on Mother's Day, May 12, 1935.
June 10 is a sobriety date. The Big Book's contents page, in the caption for Doctor Bob's Nightmare, calls him a co-founder and says the birth of the Society dates from his first day of permanent sobriety, June 10, 1935. The next story caption calls Akron's Group No. 1 the first A.A. group in the world.
So: they met in May. June 10 is the day the book treats as the start of Dr. Bob's lasting sobriety, and as the birth of the Society. You will hear both in meetings. Now you know why.
The book, then the Traditions
In April 1939 the first edition of the book Alcoholics Anonymous came out. A.A.'s Big Book page says it was published so other alcoholics could see how the first 100 members got sober. It is still the basic text, now in more than 70 languages. The fourth-edition preface says the second edition was published in 1955 and the third came off the press in 1976. The program chapters stayed. The personal stories changed as the book was updated. You can read it on aa.org tonight. The chapter map on this site is there if you want a guide beside it. The books guide is the rest of the shelf, when you care.
As more groups formed, they needed a way to stay together without a boss. A.A. says Bill W. wrote the Twelve Traditions in the 1940s. In April 1946 the Grapevine ran an article he titled "Twelve Suggested Points for A.A. Tradition." The Traditions page dates that same first publication to April 1946 under the title "Twelve Points to Assure Our Future." The Grapevine then published the Traditions one by one from December 1947 to November 1948. In 1950 the First International Convention in Cleveland adopted them. A.A. calls them guidelines, not rules.
The line that lets you in is the short form of Tradition Three: the only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. The long form says membership ought never depend upon money or conformity. The traditions resource is the short form people read in meetings. In 1952 the Grapevine published the essays that became Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. That book can wait.
Tonight the door is the point
A.A.'s newcomer page says anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, you can just sit and listen, and you do not have to pay. There are no dues or fees.
Find A.A. Near You gives you a local office, not a list of tonight's rooms. A.A. says the website is not a meeting finder. Meetings here search public listings. The how to find a meeting page explains the Meeting Guide app. The first meeting guide tells you what the room is like, including that you do not have to identify yourself. Pick one meeting and go. The history will still be here tomorrow.
If you have been drinking heavily, stopping suddenly can be life-threatening. That is NIAAA's warning, and a history page cannot manage withdrawal. Use the withdrawal guide and get medical help. FindTreatment.gov lists licensed care. Call or text (800) 653-9376 if you want help finding a program. Calling is free to you. We check your benefits before you commit.
Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. Call or text 988 in a mental health crisis. The Fellowship started because two men needed another alcoholic in the room. If that is you tonight, go be in a room.
Additional Resources
Sources cited on this page:
- A.A.: History of A.A.
- A.A.: The Big Book
- Big Book contents, fourth edition (official PDF)
- Big Book preface, fourth edition (official PDF)
- Box 4-5-9, October-November 2007
- A.A.: The Beginnings of the Twelve Traditions
- A.A.: The Twelve Traditions
- A.A.: Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (B-2)
- A.A.: Need help with a drinking problem?
- A.A.: Find A.A. Near You
- A.A.: What to Expect at an A.A. Meeting
- NIAAA: Alcohol Use Disorder, From Risk to Diagnosis to Recovery
- SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- SmarterRecovery about page (calling is free to the caller)
Common Questions
When did A.A. start?
A.A.'s history page says the beginnings were in 1935, from a meeting between a New York stockbroker and an Akron surgeon. The Big Book dates the birth of the Society to June 10, 1935, Dr. Bob's first day of permanent sobriety. A 2007 A.A. newsletter says their first meeting was earlier, on Mother's Day, May 12, 1935.
Why are there two dates in 1935?
They are two different events. Box 4-5-9 corrected an earlier issue that had put the first meeting on June 10. The correction says Bill W. and Dr. Bob first met on May 12, 1935. June 10 is the sobriety date the Big Book uses for the start of the Society. Both dates are in A.A.'s own printings.
When did the Big Book come out?
A.A. says Alcoholics Anonymous was first published in 1939, so other alcoholics could see how the first 100 members got sober. The fourth-edition preface dates the first edition to April 1939. It is still the basic text, now in more than 70 languages.
What do the Traditions have to do with me tonight?
They are guidelines for how groups get along, not a test you have to pass. The one that matters at the door is Tradition Three. The short form says the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. The long form says membership ought never depend on money or conformity.
Do I need to know this before I go to a meeting?
No. The history is why the door is open. It is not homework. A.A.'s newcomer page says you can sit and listen, and that you do not have to pay. If you want a room tonight, use a local A.A. office or the meetings search, then go.