Big Book Dave - Archivist Interior Alaska
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Big Book Dave - Archivist Interior Alaska
November
Interior Alaska
Report

Each year I receive the same question from many members: "Why is November called "Gratitude Month?"

Answer: Each Fall in the 1940s the General Service Board hosted small "Gratitude Dinners." By the 1960s they had become larger, more elaborate "Gratitude Luncheons." The motivation behind these get togethers was personal gratitude for sobriety and to express appreciation to our professional friends for their articles, books, radio and T.V. interviews relating to A.A. over the past year. Held without fail in November at NYCs Roosevelt Hotel, Bill W. always addressed the gatherings. The luncheons were discontinued in 1968, but the concept of "Gratitude" persisted within the membership until today the month of November is accepted by A.A. members Worldwide as "Gratitude month...."
 

Interesting November Dates
 
1846 - November 25th
Carie Nation born Grand City, Kentucky. She would lose her entire family and two husbands due to alcoholism. Carie became violently opposed to alcohol and began leading raids on saloons in Kansas and throughout the west, destroying all establishments that sold alcohol.
  1895 - November 26th Bill Wilson born to Gilman and Emily Griffith Wilson. Bill's father's side of the family was Irish and for generations were marble quarry owners. His mother's side of the family, the Griffiths, were people of extremely high intelligence - lawyers, teachers, judges.
 
1904 - November 10th
Ralph Pfau (Father John Doe) born in Indianapolis the youngest of five brothers.
 
1908 - November
Dr. Silkworth published his first paper, "Notes of the Jungle Plant," a case report analysis on the anti-opium plant used for treatment of addiction.
 
1934 - November 1st
The "Surender-Date" of Ebby T. within the Oxford Group.
 
1939 - November 21st
The Cliff Hotel San Francisco - first meeting of A.A. on the West Coast. Ray W., a New York member out on the coast on business, chaired the meeting.
 
1943 - November
Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick who gave the 1st positive review of the big Book after it went to print (1939) is the guest speaker at the Manhattan Groups 5th anniversary.
 
1947 - November. 1st
 The "Sourdough Group" (Anchorage) is the first registered group within the Territory of Alaska.
 
1950 - November 16th
Our co-founder, Dr Bob (Robert Holbrook Smith), moved over into-the-other-room on this date. The only son of Judge and Mrs. Walter Smith.
 
1959 - November
The first translation of the Big Book into another language (an African language) takes place at G.S.O. It was done by Andries K.
 
1966 - November
President Johnson appoints Marty M. (Author of the story in the Big Book called :"Women Suffer Too") to the first National Advisory Commission on Alcoholism.
 
1968 - November
The General Service Office conducts its first census of membership worldwide.
 
1985 - November 5th
855 Ardmore Ave, AKRON Ohio, Anne and Dr. Bob's home becomes a state historical site and a National Historical Landmark.
 
Big Book Dave
Elected Archivist - Interior Alaska
24-Hour Number
(907) 456-7501