Al-Anon

“I believe that people are good if you give them half a chance and that good is more powerful than evil. The world seems to me excruciatingly, almost painfully beautiful at times, and the goodness and kindness of people often exceed that which even I expect.” -Lois W.

Al-Anon
A Brief Timeline

• Jun. 1935 – Annie S. and Lois W. meet for the first time in Akron, Ohio.
• 1939 – Family groups begin to form.
• Mar. 1941 – Lois and Bill W. purchase Stepping Stones, their home in New York State.
• 1948 – ”One Wife’s Story”, by Lois W. published in the AA Grapevine.
• 1949 – Ruth G. starts publishing The Family For.
• 1950 – Bill W. asks Lois to open a service office for Family Groups.
• 1950 – Members with active alcoholics join Family Groups.
• Spring 1951 – Lois W. asks AA Delegates’ wives to lunch at Stepping Stones.
• May 1951 – Lois W. makes a decision to open a service office at Stepping Stones. She asks Anne B. to help her.
• May 1951 – AA General Service Office gives Lois W. a list of 87 Family Groups and individuals on record with AA.
• 1951 – 1954 – Al-Anon gains acceptance as the name for the Family Group movement.
• Nov. 17, 1951 – Lois W. and Anne B. call a meeting at Stepping Stones with local chairmen and secretaries to discuss expansion.
• Jan. 9, 1952 – Clearing House established at 334 1/2 West 24th Street, New York City.
• 1952 – Purpose and Suggestions written by Lois W.
• 1952 – Al-Anon Traditions written by Lois W.
• Sept. 1952 – First Alanon literature price list published.
• 1952 – First Al-Anon World Directory published.
• 1953– Henrietta S. becomes first Clearing House paid part-time worker.
• 1954 – Al-Anon Literature, Budget and Publicity Committees form.
• 1954 – Al-Anon Clearing House incorporates into Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, inc.
• 1955 – The Al-Anon Family Groups, Al-Anon’s first hardcorver book published.
• 1957 – Al-Anon Headquarters move to 125 East 23rd Street, New York City.
• 1957 – Alateen meetings begin in California.
• Aug. 1957 – It’s a Teenaged Affair, published in the AA Grapevine.
• 1960 – Al-Anon plans own Conference at AA Long Beach Convention.
• Apr. 21, 1961 – First Al-Anon Trial Conference convenes.
• 1961– Conference-Approved Literature (CAL) concept voted in.
• 1962 – Ann Landers writes her first article on Al-Anon.
• 1962 – The Stag Line, first pamphlet for men, published.
• 1962 – First Alateen Conference held.
• 1968 – One Day At A Time In Al-Anon (ODAT) published.
• 1971 – World Service Office moves to 115 E. 23rd St., New York City.
• 1972 – Lois’s Story, motion picture, produced.
• 1978 – World Service Office moves to 1 Park Ave., New York City.
• 1980 – First General Services Meeting for overseas delegates and World Service Office staff.
• 1985 – Al-Anon first International Convention held in Montreal, Canada, in conjunction with AA’s International Convention.
• 1986 – World Service Office moves to 1372 Broadway, New York City as Al-Anon celebrates 35th Anniversary.
• 1990 – Al-Anon’s second International Convention held in Seattle, Washington in conjunction with AA’s International Convention.
• 1995 – Al-Anon’s third International Convention held in San Diego, California in conjunction with AA’s International Convention.
• 1996 – Al-Anon’s World Service Office moves to 1200 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, Virginia.