Bill W.
William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971), also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Bill W. | |
|---|---|
Bill Wilson, date unknown | |
| Born | William Griffith Wilson November 26, 1895 East Dorset, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | January 24, 1971 (aged 75) Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | East Dorset Cemetery, East Dorset, Vermont 43.216638°N 73.015148°W |
| Education | Norwich University |
| Occupation(s) | Salesman, military officer, activist |
| Known for | co-founding Alcoholics Anonymous |
| Spouse |
Lois W. (m. 1918) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Years | 1916–1918 |
| Rank | Second lieutenant |
| Unit | Vermont National Guard |
| Conflicts |
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AA is an international mutual aid fellowship with about two million members worldwide belonging to AA groups, associations, organizations, cooperatives, and fellowships of alcoholics helping other alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety. Following AA's Twelfth Tradition of anonymity, Wilson is commonly known as "Bill W." or "Bill". To identify each other, members of AA will sometimes ask others if they are "friends of Bill". Though this question can be confusing, because "Bill" is a common name, it provides a means of establishing the common experience of AA membership. After Wilson's death, and amidst controversy within the fellowship, his full name was included in obituaries by journalists who were unaware of the significance of maintaining anonymity within the organization.
Wilson's sobriety from alcohol, which he maintained until his death, began December 11, 1934. In 1955, Wilson turned over control of AA to a board of trustees. Wilson died in 1971 of emphysema from smoking tobacco complicated by pneumonia. In 1999, Time listed him as "Bill W.: The Healer" in the Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century.