Jim B.

James Burwell (known as "Jim B.", b. March 23,1898, d. September 8, 1974) was one of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) founding members. He was among the first ten member of AA on the East Coast, and was responsible for starting Alcoholics Anonymous in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Later in life, he and Rosa, his wife, moved to San Diego, California and was instrumental in the growth of AA there.

His most crucial contribution at the founding of AA came from his atheism - or as he later termed it, his "militant agnosticism." He argued strongly with the early group in New York that they needed to tone down what he called the "God bit". This resulted in the much more inclusive "Higher Power" and "God as we understand him" concepts that are now so closely with Alcoholic Anonymous. This compromise was crucial and without it, AA would probably not have survived at all, much less have reached the number of people it has worldwide today. Jim B.'s contribution to Alcoholics Anonymous is second only to that of AA's two co-founders, Bill W. and Dr Bob.

He was instrumental in the publication of the all important "Saturday Evening Post" article by Jack Alexander that first brought nationwide publicity to AA in March 1941. As mentioned by Bill W. in the "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions" (pp. 143 – 145), Jim B. is credited with the adoption of AA's Third Tradition: "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking."

According to Clarence Snyder (an early AA member from Cleveland): "Jimmy remained steadfast, throughout his life and 'preached' his particular [non-God] brand of AA wherever he went."

Jim B. (AA Big Book Story “A Vicious Cycle”) is buried in the Christ Episcopal Church cemetery in Owensville, Maryland near his boyhood friend, John Henry Fitzhugh Mayo, known as “Fitz M.”, (AA Big Book Story “Our Southern Friend”). Jim. B. and Fitz M. were among the first members of AA to get and stay sober with Bill W. in New York.

See also

*Alcoholics Anonymous
*Twelve-step program
*Twelve traditions
*Alcoholism
*Addiction
*William Duncan Silkworth

Literature

* cite book
url = http://www.aa.org/default/en_services_aa.cfm?pageid=46
title = The A.A. Service Manual combined with Twelve Concepts for World Service
author = Bill W.
edition = 2004-2005 Edition
location = New York
publisher = Alcoholics Anonymous
year= 2004
* cite book
title= My Name is Bill, Bill Wilson: His Life and the Creation of Alcoholics Anonymous
author=Susan Cheever
location= New York
publisher= Simon & Schuster/ Washington Square Press
id= auto isbn|0|7|4|3|4|0|5|9|1|0-7434-0591 (paperback)
* cite book
url = http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/
title = Alcoholics Anonymous. The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
author = Bill W.
location = New York
publisher = Alcoholics Anonymous
edition = 4th ed. new and rev. 2001
id = ISBN 1-893007-16-2, Dewey 362.29 A347 2001 ('Big Book')
* cite book
title = Alcoholics Anonymous Comes Of Age
author = Bill W.
location = New York
publisher = Alcoholics Anonymous
1990
id = ISBN 0-916856-02-X, LC HV5278.A78A4, Dewey: 178.1 A1c
* cite book
title = As Bill Sees It
author = Bill W.
location = New York
publisher = Alcoholics Anonymous
year= 1967
id = ISBN 0-916856-03-8, Dewey 616.861 ASB
* cite book
author = Bill W.
title = My First 40 Years. An Autobiography by the Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous
location = Center City, Minnesota
publisher = Hazelden, 55012-0176
year= 2000
id = ISBN 1-56838-373-8, Dewey B W11w 2000
* cite book
title = Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers
location = New York
publisher = Alcoholics Anonymous
year= 1980
id = ISBN 0-916856-07-0, LCCN 80-65962, LC HV5278.D62 1980
* cite book
first = Francis
last = Hartigan
title = Bill W. A Biography of Alcoholics Anonymous Cofounder Bill Wilson
location = New York
publisher = Thomas Dunne Books
year= 2000
id = ISBN 0-312-20056-0, Dewey B W11h 2000
* cite book
first = Ernest
last = Kurtz
title = Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous
location = Center City, Minnesota
publisher = Hazelden
year= 1979
id = ISBN 0-89486-065-8 or ISBN 0-89486-065-8 (pbk.), LC HV5278, LCCN 79-88264, Dewey 362.2/9286 or 362.29286 K87 1979
* cite book
title = Pass It On: The story of Bill Wilson and how the A.A. message reached the world
location = New York
publisher = Alcoholics Anonymous
year= 1984
id = ISBN 0-916856-12-7, LC HV5032 .W19P37x 1984, LCCN 84-072766, Dewey 362.29/286/O92
* cite book
first = Robert
last = Thomsen
title = Bill W.
location = New York
publisher = Harper & Rowe
year= 1975
id = ISBN 0-06-014267-7, Dewey 362.29 W112t
* cite book
title = Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
location = New York
publisher = Alcoholics Anonymous
year= 1953
id = ISBN 0-916856-01-1

External links

* [http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org Official homepage of Alcoholics Anonymous]
* [http://drunkard.com/issues/01-05/0105-dry-piper.htm Biography of William Wilson from Modern Drunkard Magazine]
* [http://www.barefootsworld.net/aaburwell30.html "Sober for 30 Thirty" by Jimmy Burwell]
* [http://www.aabibliography.com/aapioneers/burwellaahistory.html "Memoirs of Jimmy, The Evolution of Alcoholics Anonymous" by Jimmy Burwell]
* [http://www.barefootsworld.net/aajalexpost1941.html The "Saturday Evening Post" article on Alcoholics Anonymous, March 1, 1941]
* [http://silkworth.net/bb/billsstory.html William G. Wilson's autobiography in AA's 'Big Book, copyright to First Edition expired]
* [http://www.morerevealed.com "The myth behind 12 step recovery" author Ken Ragge Book online]
* [http://silkworth.net Unofficial Alcoholics Anonymous history site]
* [http://www.aahistory.com/aa/people.html Extensive directory of AA pioneers]
* [http://www.orange-papers.org "The Orange Papers", a critical review of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Oxford Group]