Recovery Speakers exists to preserve and share the audio history of the 12 Step fellowships. Our growing archive spans more than eight decades and includes thousands of recovery recordings, many transferred and digitized from original reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes that may otherwise have been lost to time.
What began as a passion project has grown into an ongoing preservation effort dedicated to making these historic voices accessible for future generations. Our library includes rare and early recordings of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon pioneers, along with speakers from conferences, conventions, workshops, and meetings across the country.
We feature a daily “Speaker of the Day” on YouTube, recovery shorts, archival clips, and restored recordings from our expanding collection. We are also building a new Recovery Speakers platform designed to better organize, preserve, and share this important history through searchable archives and expanded social media outreach.
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Recovery Speakers
📜 Before A.A. had a worldwide service office… before the Big Book was finished… there was Ruth Hock.
On Tuesday, August 18, Recovery Speakers welcomes Dave M. for a special Recovery History Workshop exploring the life and remarkable contribution of Ruth Hock — A.A.’s first national secretary.
Ruth was a nonalcoholic who found herself working alongside Bill W. and Hank P. during the fragile beginnings of what would become Alcoholics Anonymous. When Bill began writing the book Alcoholics Anonymous in 1938, he dictated his handwritten material to Ruth in the Newark office while she typed, reviewed, and helped prepare the developing manuscript.
But her role did not end with the Big Book.
As the young Fellowship began attracting national attention, Ruth became one of the people connecting isolated alcoholics and emerging groups with A.A. Headquarters. After the 1941 Saturday Evening Post article triggered an extraordinary wave of interest, the tiny headquarters staff received 918 inquiries in just 12 days. Ruth was right in the middle of that growing correspondence.
Her work helped bridge the period when A.A. was still little more than a few groups and a newly published book to the beginnings of a national Fellowship.
Decades later, A.A. honored Ruth in a particularly fitting way: at the 1985 International Convention, the five-millionth copy of the Big Book was presented to the woman who had typed its original manuscript.
Who was Ruth Hock beyond the familiar footnotes?
What did she witness in those earliest offices?
What did A.A.’s beginnings look like from the desk of the woman typing Bill’s words, answering correspondence, and watching a tiny movement begin to grow?
Join us Tuesday night as we revisit the story of one of the most important nonalcoholic figures in early A.A. history.
📚 RUTH HOCK — OUR FIRST NATIONAL SECRETARY
🎙️ Presented by Dave M.
📅 Tuesday, August 18
🕕 6:00 PM Pacific
🕘 9:00 PM Eastern
💻 Live on Zoom
🔢 Meeting ID: 310 333 9445
🔓 No password required
🌐 RecoverySpeakers.org
If you know someone who loves A.A. history, the story of the Big Book, or the people behind the Fellowship’s earliest years, share this with them and invite them Tuesday night.
#RuthHock #RecoverySpeakers #AAHistory #BigBookHistory #AlcoholicsAnonymous #RecoveryHistory #BillW #AAArchives #RecoveryHistoryWorkshop
19 hours ago | [YT] | 4
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Recovery Speakers
🩺 DR. SILKWORTH — REVISITED
Before there was an Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship stretching around the world, there was a New York physician willing to listen differently to alcoholics whom many others had written off.
Dr. William D. Silkworth treated Bill W. and became one of A.A.’s earliest and most important medical friends. His observations helped shape Bill’s understanding of alcoholism, and his words became the foundation of “The Doctor’s Opinion” in the Big Book. Official A.A. history notes that Bill learned from Silkworth to understand alcoholism as a malady involving the mind, emotions, and body.
Silkworth described what he observed in alcoholics as a powerful phenomenon of craving and recognized that something more than ordinary willpower would be required for lasting recovery. He also witnessed the effectiveness of the young Alcoholics Anonymous movement while it was still in its infancy.
But how much do we really know about the man behind The Doctor’s Opinion?
📚 Tomorrow night, Recovery Speakers welcomes Gary N., author and historian, for a special Recovery History Workshop:
Dr. Silkworth Revisited
We’ll take a deeper look at Silkworth’s life, medical work, relationship with the earliest members of A.A., and the lasting influence of his ideas on the Fellowship’s understanding of alcoholism and recovery.
A.A.’s own historical timeline later referred to Silkworth as its “first friend in medicine,” noting that by 1945 he was heading the alcoholic ward at New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital.
If you enjoy A.A. history, the Big Book, early recovery history, or the people whose contributions helped shape the Fellowship, this is a workshop you won’t want to miss.
📅 Tuesday, August 11
🕕 6:00 PM Pacific
🕘 9:00 PM Eastern
🎙️ Presented by Gary N. — Author & Historian
💻 Live on Zoom
🔢 Zoom ID: 310 333 9445
🔓 No password needed
Join us as we revisit the life and legacy of the physician Bill W. affectionately remembered as one of A.A.’s earliest medical allies.
Recovery Speakers — Preserving the Legacy of Recovery
#RecoverySpeakers #DrSilkworth #WilliamSilkworth #AAHistory #TheDoctorsOpinion #BigBookHistory #RecoveryHistory #AlcoholicsAnonymous #RecoveryWorkshop
6 days ago | [YT] | 37
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Recovery Speakers
🕯️ Remembering Marty Mann
October 15, 1904–July 22, 1980
Today marks the anniversary of the passing of one of the most influential women in the history of recovery.
Marty M. was widely recognized as the first woman in Alcoholics Anonymous to achieve lasting sobriety. She later devoted her life to challenging the shame and misunderstanding surrounding alcoholism, helping countless individuals and families discover that alcoholism was treatable and recovery was possible.
As one tribute expressed it:
“Out of her suffering has been born a network of hope and help for thousands.”
🎙️ Tonight, Recovery Speakers will release a historic recording of Marty M. speaking in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1960.
On this meaningful anniversary, we invite you to hear her voice and the message she carried throughout her life:
No alcoholic is beyond hope.
Watch for the full talk tonight on the Recovery Speakers YouTube channel.
#MartyMann #RecoverySpeakers #AAHistory #RecoveryHistory #AlcoholicsAnonymous #WomenInRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 15
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Recovery Speakers
📨 An invitation that helped change the course of Alcoholics Anonymous.
At first glance, this appears to be nothing more than a formal dinner invitation.
In reality, it represents one of the defining moments in the history of Alcoholics Anonymous.
In 1940, John D. Rockefeller Jr. invited physicians, clergy, business leaders, and friends to a dinner introducing the young Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous to a broader audience. Dr. William D. Silkworth, whose medical understanding and encouragement had helped shape AA from its earliest days, was among the invited guests.
Many early members hoped the evening might solve AA's financial struggles.
Instead, something even more valuable happened.
Rockefeller believed AA should remain self-supporting, but he also recognized the extraordinary value of its message. Rather than offering large financial support, he gave the Fellowship something it desperately needed, credibility and national attention. News of the dinner spread across the country, bringing widespread public awareness to Alcoholics Anonymous and helping countless people discover that recovery was possible.
This invitation reminds us that history is often preserved in the smallest artifacts.
Sometimes a single piece of paper represents the moment an idea began changing the world.
Explore this remarkable artifact and its story in The William D. Silkworth Collection at WilliamDSilkworth.com.
#WilliamDSilkworth #AAHistory #AlcoholicsAnonymous #RecoveryHistory #JohnDRockefeller #DrSilkworth #BigBookHistory #Recovery
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 12
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Recovery Speakers
The mission stays the same.
The platform evolves.
Join us tonight for a first look at the new Recovery Speakers experience and what’s ahead.
🕘 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT
📍 Zoom ID: 310 333 9445
Bringing the AA message to the world.
2 months ago | [YT] | 5
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Recovery Speakers
📖 LIMITED EARLY RELEASE
What if you could go deeper into the story behind the award-winning film Bill W. Conscious Contact?
For the first time, the story that inspired and expanded upon the acclaimed film by Jay Stinnett is available in book form.
Bill W. Conscious Contact brings together:
📸 Rare photographs, many never previously published
❤️ Unique insights into the life and influence of Lois Wilson
📚 Commentary and historical perspective from acclaimed AA historian William Schaberg, author of Writing the Big Book
🎬 Reflections and contributions from filmmaker Jay Stinnett, creator of the award-winning film Bill W. Conscious Contact
More than a biography, this book offers a deeper look at Bill Wilson's spiritual journey, his search for conscious contact with God, and the experiences that helped shape Alcoholics Anonymous.
Whether you're a student of AA history, a longtime member of the Fellowship, or simply interested in the life of one of recovery's most influential figures, this is a remarkable addition to your library.
🔥 LIMITED EARLY RELEASE AVAILABLE NOW
Order Here:
👉 bit.ly/billwbook
Use Discount Code:
🎟️ CONSCIOUSCONTACT
Receive:
✅ $10 OFF
✅ FREE SHIPPING
Available for a limited time before the official release.
#BillW #ConsciousContact #AAHistory #BillWilson #LoisWilson #WritingTheBigBook #WilliamSchaberg #JayStinnett #Recovery #AlcoholicsAnonymous #RecoverySpeakers
2 months ago | [YT] | 24
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Recovery Speakers
Happy Mother’s Day.
Today is a day to honor the women who gave us life…
who cared for us, stood by us, and loved us—sometimes even when we couldn’t love ourselves.
For many of us, that love carried us through more than we ever deserved.
But for those in recovery…
There’s another quiet connection to this day.
🕊️ May 12, 1935 — Mother’s Day
On that day in Akron, Ohio…
Bill Wilson met Dr. Bob Smith for the first time.
Two men.
One conversation.
And a simple idea:
👉 One alcoholic helping another.
That moment became the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Not a plan.
Not an organization.
Just connection.
🌎 Why this matters
Mother’s Day is about life, renewal, and new beginnings.
And on that day in 1935…
A new beginning became possible for millions.
💬 A moment of gratitude
Today we honor:
The mothers who raised us
The women who cared for us
The people who never gave up on us
And for many of us…
The message that helped give us a second chance at life.
#MothersDay #AA #Recovery #Gratitude #Sobriety #Sober #12Steps #AlcoholicsAnonymous
3 months ago | [YT] | 48
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Recovery Speakers
𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 🚪
Not inside.
Not outside.
Right where people are still trying to find their way in.
On one side of the door…
People are searching.
Struggling.
Wondering if there’s even a way out.
On the other side…
People have found something that changed their lives.
This piece — “I Stand by the Door” — was written by Sam Shoemaker, a spiritual influence on early recovery and on Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
But the message goes far beyond history.
🕊️ This is what it’s really about:
Not getting comfortable “inside”
Not forgetting what it felt like “outside”
But staying close enough…
👉 to reach someone still searching
Because the truth is:
Most people don’t need someone perfect.
They need someone who remembers.
💬 If you’ve ever been helped…
This is your reminder:
👉 Stay by the door.
👇 Swipe to read the full piece
#Recovery #Sobriety #Sober #AA #12Steps #Spirituality #Service #MentalHealth #Growth
3 months ago | [YT] | 27
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Recovery Speakers
Join us LIVE from Noblesville!
1 year ago | [YT] | 2
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