November
16, 1950
Alcoholics
Anonymous founder Dies
Dr. Robert H. Smith, (August
8, 1879 – November 16, 1950), popularly known as "Dr. Bob" since
becoming co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935.
In January 1933, Dr Smith attended a lecture by Frank Buchman, the founder of the Oxford Group. For the
next two years he attended local meetings of the group in an
effort to solve his alcoholism, but recovery eluded him until he met Bill
Wilson on May 13, 1935. Wilson, an alcoholic who had learned how to stay sober
by helping other alcoholics through the Oxford Group in New York, was in Akron
on business that had proven unsuccessful and he was in fear of relapsing.
Recognizing the danger, he made inquiries about any local alcoholics he could
talk to and was referred to Smith by Henrietta Sieberling, one of the leaders
of the Akron Oxford Group. After talking to Wilson, Smith stopped drinking. The date, June 10, 1935, is celebrated as the
anniversary of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is
an international mutual aid fellowship. AA states that its primary purpose is
to help alcoholics "to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve
sobriety". With other early members Bill Wilson and Bob Smith developed
AA's Twelve Step program of spiritual and character development. AA's initial
Twelve Traditions were introduced in 1946 to help the fellowship be stable and
unified while disengaged from "outside issues" and influences.
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