Sam Shoemaker Speaking, Introduced by Bill W. at the 1955 International Convention, St. Louis

This is one of the most historically important recordings in Alcoholics Anonymous. In this rare 1955 talk from the AA International Convention in St. Louis, Rev. Sam Shoemaker—introduced by Bill W.—shares the spiritual foundation that helped shape A.A.

Sam Shoemaker was an Episcopal minister and leader in the Oxford Group, the spiritual movement that heavily influenced early Alcoholics Anonymous.

Bill W. himself referred to Sam as: “a co-founder of A.A. in spirit”

Why This Matters

Before A.A. had structure… Before the Big Book was widely distributed… The spiritual principles that would become the Twelve Steps were already forming—largely influenced by Shoemaker’s teachings.

In This Talk:

• The spiritual basis of recovery is explained

• The connection between the Oxford Group and A.A. is revealed

• The importance of surrender, honesty, and reliance on God is emphasized

This recording is a direct window into the spiritual origins of Alcoholics Anonymous.

A must-listen for anyone seeking deeper understanding of where the program came from—and why it works.

The 1955 AA International Convention is considered A.A.’s “coming of age.” The Fellowship accepted the service structure and the General Service Conference that Bill W. had been promoting. The 3,500 attending this Convention were read a telegram from President Eisenhower offering his good wishes.

A press release from the Convention Committee reads: “A dramatic feature of the meeting will occur at Sunday afternoon’s closing session when Bill W., the surviving co-founder, will ask the movement to endorse a plan whereby he and other ‘elder statesmen’ of the society can yield their responsibilities to a representative body which has been functioning under a temporary charter for the past five years. This group, known as the General Service Conference of A.A., now includes 76 delegates from A.A. areas in the U.S. and Canada.”