Alcoholics Anonymous 20th Anniversary Convention Collection – St. Louis, 1955 – Five Original Pieces
A remarkable five-piece collection of original material from the Alcoholics Anonymous 20th Anniversary Convention, held July 1–3, 1955, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The St. Louis Convention was one of the defining events in the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. During the closing session, Bill W. formally transferred responsibility for A.A.’s world services to the Fellowship and its General Service Conference. The Third Legacy of Service was accepted, and Alcoholics Anonymous symbolically “came of age.”
The convention also marked the introduction of the Second Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, reflecting the extraordinary growth of the Fellowship from approximately 100 members when the First Edition appeared in 1939 to roughly 150,000 members by 1955.
Together, these five original pieces provide a rare documentary record of that historic weekend. The collection includes all three daily convention bulletins, the convention-issued greeting from Bill and Lois W., and an early convention issue of Bill W.’s proposed Third Legacy Manual of World Service.
Included in This Collection
Twentieth Anniversary Greetings from Lois and Bill
An original convention-issued greeting prepared for attendees of the St. Louis gathering.
Typed on G.S.W. letterhead and dated St. Louis, July 1–3, 1955, the message reflects on A.A.’s first twenty years and the significance of the Fellowship assuming responsibility for its future growth and service structure.
The letter reads, in part:
“We are gathered here to thank God that in twenty years He has delivered so many of us out of our bondage… And, here in St. Louis, we are to take the momentous decision that our Fellowship has come of age, may assume full responsibility for its future growth and function, and can confidently take destiny by the hand.”
The letter concludes with the printed closing, “In devotion, Lois & Bill.”
Original convention greetings of this kind are seldom encountered independently and are especially significant when preserved with additional material from the same event.
Convention Bulletin No. 1 — Friday, July 1, 1955
The opening-day bulletin carries the headline:
“All A.A. Roads Lead to St. Louis This Week-End”
It includes coverage of the convention’s opening activities, Family Group meetings, the convention program, Grapevine participation, and information for members arriving in St. Louis.
Convention Bulletin No. 2 — Saturday, July 2, 1955
The second bulletin carries the headline:
“Eisenhower Salutes A.A. for Service and Growth”
It reproduces a telegram from President Dwight D. Eisenhower recognizing the work of Alcoholics Anonymous and includes reports on the convention sessions, national radio coverage, and the growing international reach of the Fellowship.
Convention Bulletin No. 3 — Sunday, July 3, 1955
The final bulletin announces the central business of the convention:
“Movement to Be Asked to Accept the Third Legacy”
It outlines the proposed transfer of responsibility for A.A.’s world services, provides the schedule for the final day, and announces Bill W.’s closing presentation of the Third Legacy Resolution.
Together, the three bulletins form a day-by-day contemporary account of the convention and the events surrounding A.A.’s transition into a fully self-supporting and self-governing Fellowship.
The Third Legacy Manual of World Service as Proposed by Bill
An exceptionally important early issue of the manual that would eventually develop into The A.A. Service Manual.
The blue cover identifies the gathering directly:
A.A. Comes of Age — July 1–2–3, 1955
20th Anniversary Convention, St. Louis, Mo.
The booklet presents Bill W.’s proposed structure for A.A.’s Third Legacy of Service and explains the history, purpose, and operation of the General Service Conference and related world services.
A note on the cover advises members to read the historical account of A.A. World Services contained in Part I. In the foreword, Bill explains that he intends to place responsibility for these services into the permanent keeping of the Fellowship at St. Louis:
“At St. Louis, in 1955, on behalf of A.A.’s old timers, I will deliver into the permanent keeping of our Fellowship all these Services, secure in the knowledge that A.A. has at last come of age.”
This convention issue predates the regular publication of the First Edition of The Third Legacy Manual and directly documents the proposal placed before the Fellowship during the historic St. Louis gathering.
Item Details
Event: Alcoholics Anonymous 20th Anniversary Convention
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Dates: July 1–3, 1955
Number of pieces: Five
Contents: Three daily convention bulletins, anniversary greeting from Lois and Bill, and convention issue of The Third Legacy Manual of World Service
Format: Original printed ephemera and softcover booklet
Language: English
Condition
The five pieces remain exceptionally well preserved for convention material approaching seventy-five years of age.
The three bulletins retain strong original color and clear printing, with light handling and minor age-related wear. The anniversary greeting remains clean and well presented. The Third Legacy Manual is in excellent condition, with a clean blue cover, strong binding, and well-preserved interior pages.
Please review the photographs carefully for the condition and appearance of each individual piece.
Collector Significance
Complete groups of original material from the 1955 St. Louis Convention are rarely encountered. Many convention handouts were read, folded, carried home, or eventually discarded, making the survival of all three daily bulletins alongside the anniversary greeting and Third Legacy manual especially noteworthy.
This collection documents a single historic weekend during which:
- The Second Edition Big Book was introduced
- The Third Legacy of Service was accepted
- Responsibility for A.A.’s world services passed to the Fellowship
- Alcoholics Anonymous formally “came of age”
An important and visually compelling archive for collectors of Alcoholics Anonymous history, convention material, early service literature, or original A.A. ephemera.
