Editing Alcoholics Anonymous (section)

=== Founding of AA ===

==== Wilson's early efforts and influence of the Oxford Group ====
Following his hospital discharge, Wilson joined the Oxford Group and tried to recruit other alcoholics to the group.  These early efforts to help others kept him sober, but were ineffective in getting anyone else to join the group. Dr. Silkworth suggested that Wilson place less stress on religion (as required by The Oxford Group) and more on the science of treating alcoholism. Bill W. would later write: "The early AA got its ideas of self-examination, acknowledgment of character defects, restitution for harm done, and working with others straight from the Oxford Group and directly from [[Sam Shoemaker]], their former leader in America, and from nowhere else".<ref name="pittman">Pittman, Bill ''AA the Way it Began'' Glen Abbey Books, 1988</ref> According to Mercadante, however, the AA concept of ''powerlessness over alcohol'' departs significantly from Oxford Group belief. According to AA, alcoholism cannot be cured, whereas the Oxford Group stressed the possibility of complete victory over sin.<ref name="Mercadante">Mercadante, Linda A, ''Victims and Sinners'': p. 55. Westminster John Knox Press: 1996 {{ISBN|978-0664255084}}</ref>

==== Beginnings of AA ====
[[File:Dr._Bob's_House.jpg|right|thumb|250x250px|Robert Smith's House in Akron]]
In 1935, AA began in Akron, Ohio, as the outcome of a meeting between Wilson—who became known as "Bill W." in AA circles—and [[Bob Smith (doctor)|Dr. Robert Smith]], an Akron surgeon, who would become Wilson's first recruitment success. On a business trip by Bill W. to Akron, he was introduced to the surgeon, who despite connections with the Oxford Group, was unable to stay sober.<ref name=":1" />  Bill W. explained that alcoholism affects the mind, emotions, and body, a concept he had learned from Dr. Silkworth at Towns Hospital in New York, where he had been a patient multiple times. Convinced by these insights, Dr. Bob took his last alcoholic drink on 10 June 1935 and never drank again, soon achieving sobriety. This date is regarded by AA as its inception.{{sfn|Kurtz|1991|p=33}}

Bill W. and Dr. Bob started working with alcoholics at [[Akron City Hospital|Akron's City Hospital]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The Start and Growth of A.A. {{!}} Alcoholics Anonymous |url=https://www.aa.org/the-start-and-growth-of-aa |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=www.aa.org}}</ref> One patient, who soon achieved sobriety, joined them and together, the three men formed the foundation of what would later become known as Alcoholics Anonymous.<ref name=":1" />

In late 1935, a new group of alcoholics began forming in New York, followed by another in Cleveland in 1939. Over the course of four years, these three initial groups helped around 100 people achieve sobriety.<ref name=":1" /> In early 1939, the fellowship published its foundational text, ''Alcoholics Anonymous'', which outlined AA's philosophy; introduced the Twelve Steps; and included the case histories of 30 individuals who had achieved recovery. The Twelve Steps were influenced by the Oxford Group's six steps and various readings, including [[William James]]'s ''[[The Varieties of Religious Experience]]''.<ref>{{cite book |author=Cheever, Susan |url=https://archive.org/details/mynameisbill00susa |title=My name is Bill: Bill Wilson: his life and the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-7432-0154-4 |location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/mynameisbill00susa/page/127 127-136] |url-access=limited}}</ref> This publication marked a significant milestone in AA's development.<ref name=":1" />

The first meeting outside the Oxford Group was held at Dr. Bob's house with 80 members in attendance. Dr. Bob began the meeting in his dining room by identifying himself as an alcoholic, and placing his foot on the dining room table, read the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew.<ref>Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers A Biography, with Recollections of Early A.A. in the Midwest pg. 218</ref>

The first female member, Florence Rankin, joined AA in March 1937,<ref>{{cite book |author=Anonymous |title=Alcoholics Anonymous |year=1939 |publisher=Works Publishing Company |location=New York |page=Original Manuscript p. 217}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Bamuhigire|first=Oscar Bamwebaze|title=Healing power of self love: enhance your chances of recovery from addiction through the..|year=2009|publisher=Iuniverse Inc|location=[S.l.]|isbn=978-1-44010-137-3|page=x|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F1oJ4v82nx8C&q=A+Feminine+Victory+florence+rankin&pg=PR10}}</ref> and the first non-Protestant member, a [[Roman Catholic]], joined in 1939.{{sfn|Kurtz|1991|p=47}} The first Black AA group commenced in 1945 in Washington, D.C., founded by Jim S., an African-American physician from Virginia.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Alcoholics Anonymous|publisher=AA World Services|year=1976|edition=3rd |location=New York|pages=483}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1233131|title=First black AA group to celebrate 70th anniversary today in Washington DC|last=Mustikhan|first=Ahmar|date=13 April 2015|publisher=CNN|access-date=28 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201030954/http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1233131|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>