Time Magazine from February 1940 - Alcoholics Anonymous Rockefeller Dinner

Time Magazine issue from February 19, 1940. This issue includes an article about that famous Alcoholics Anonymous Rockefeller Dinner!

Title: Time Magazine – February 19, 1940

Publisher: Time Inc.

Publication Date: February 19, 1940

Pages: Approx. 72

Condition: Excellent – cover bright with minimal wear; interior pages clean with light toning consistent with age; binding secure. Please review photos for exact condition details.

Featured Article: “Alcoholics Anonymous” Rockefeller Dinner

This issue of Time includes one of the earliest national magazine articles on Alcoholics Anonymous, covering the famous Rockefeller Dinner in New York City. Hosted by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the event brought public attention to the fledgling fellowship, then only five years old with about 400 members nationwide.

The article explains Rockefeller’s interest in the group, his decision not to provide financial backing, and his support in helping to publish the landmark Alcoholics Anonymous book through Works Publishing Co. It also recounts the story of cofounder Bill Wilson’s recovery, emphasizing the spiritual principle of reliance on a higher power. The piece highlights both enthusiasm and skepticism from psychiatrists, some seeing A.A. as a valuable complement to medicine, others questioning its methods.

As the first major feature on A.A. in a mainstream American newsweekly, this issue stands as a milestone in the public recognition of the movement.

Collector’s Significance

• Historic Feature: Early coverage of Alcoholics Anonymous in a major national magazine.
• Rockefeller Connection: Details the crucial dinner that helped establish A.A.’s legitimacy.
• Early A.A. History: Documents the fellowship just five years after its founding.
• Condition: Well-preserved copy, excellent overall with only light signs of handling.

This issue is a historically significant artifact, capturing the moment Alcoholics Anonymous first entered the public spotlight, an event that shaped the fellowship’s future growth into a worldwide movement.