Documents

The Harbor Area Archives revisits the May 1958 issue of the Intergroup Exchange Bulletin commemorating the 10th anniversary of Harbor Area Central Office.
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This document is adapted from a talk given to the MSCA Service Committee of Feb 10, 1991.
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The final selection from the Harbor Area Archives for 2017 is a brief history of Mid-Southern California Area 09 from 1959-2004 compiled by the Area 09 Archives Committee.
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This month we are delighted to share a unique historical record of AA in the Harbor Area. *A Brief History of the Harbor Area Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous 1948-2012 *provides a detailed overview of the development of AA in our area. Special thanks go out to Neil E, principal author and archivist emeritus for …
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This month the Harbor Area Archives collection features “A Brief History of the Harbor Area Exchange Bulletin” by former editor, Neil Estes. I hope you enjoy it. *The Harbor Light* is always looking for new subscribers and contributors.
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59 years ago on July 1st, the 25th Anniversary A.A. Convention convened in Long Beach, California. Bill Wilson felt this convention marked a major turning point in the growth of A.A. In this article in the A.A. Grapevine, Bill takes a look at the past and his thoughts about the future of A.A. From the …
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In the mid-1960s, Dr. Joseph Zuska began treating sailors in the Long Beach area for alcoholism. His program, the first of its kind in the history of the U.S. armed forces, served as a model for treatment protocols subsequently adopted by the DoD. In 1980, Dr. Zuska gave an address at the International A.A. Convention …
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A.A. In The Time of Coronavirus In light of the current circumstances I’d like to take a detour from our regular selection of history from the archives. This month the archives presents you with an opportunity to participate and add your voice to these uncharted events in AA history.
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We reference the past and its lessons as long as those teachings work. When they don’t work, we adapt and we reshape. That has been our history. Bill W – 1960 General Service Conference address
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the Archives presents an excerpt from an unpublished manuscript by Bob P.* In it, the author offers a detailed account of the emergence and growth of A.A. groups in Southern California. His description of the evolution of the Los Angeles fellowship is especially interesting.
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<p>As we honor our veterans this weekend, we look back at a story of A.A.’s beginnings of service to military personnel. </p>
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For this month's selection, as we approach A.A. 85th anniversary year, I thought we'd look back to Bill Wilson's Christmas greeting on the occasion of A.A.'s 10-year anniversary in 1944.
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This month we take a look back at the first known newspaper story about AA in Long Beach.
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This month we take a look at a major change in the Harbor Area Meeting Directory. A friend had asked if I knew when gay meetings started to be listed in the Harbor Area Meeting Directory. Here is the answer – 1984. Apparently, there was a complete breakdown of meeting types. There is a long …
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Recently the subject of how the ‘Big Book’ got its name came up. So, for this months offering here is a little bit of ‘Big Book’ history. Why We Call It The Big Book” A printer in Cornwall, NY, named Edward Blackwell, had been highly recommended to Bill Wilson. Blackwell was the President of Cornwall …
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This month, as the 2021 General Service Conference has wrapped up and delegates begin their share backs. . . as we turn another corner on the road to post-pandemic life. . .  we look back to the 1960 GSC talk by Bill W., ‘On Communication’ as he speaks about AA in an era of change. He …
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In 1987, Flossie Lewis, sometimes called the “mother of AA” in Long Beach, spoke with Elizabeth S. about her life and the early days of AA in the Harbor Area. A lifelong teetotaler, Flossie and her husband, Clarence, who began his recovery from alcoholism here in Long Beach, were mainstays of the early recovery community …
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This month, we take one final look at our ‘Virtual Return to the 1960 AA Convention’. From the November 1960 ‘Convention Issue’ is a reflection from T.B from Napa, CA of his time at the convention.
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This month from the Archives: Marty Mann, one of the first women to join A.A. and founder of the National Council on Alcoholism, shares her experience, strength and hope in a 1966 paper entitled Counseling the Alcoholic. Mann’s personal story, Women Suffer Too, appears in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (2nd – 4th editions).
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As we turn the page on another chapter of AA in the Time of Coronavirus, I’m sharing a bit of my part played in this story.
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In July 1960, Long Beach hosted the 3rd AA International Convention. 8,942 paid admissions were recorded. The *Daily Bulletin*, Harbor Area’s AA newsletter -now known as *The Harbor Light* -published a special 3-day run to provide full coverage of the event. This month’s selection comprises complete reproductions of all three special issues together with a …
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In July 1960, Long Beach hosted the 3rd AA International Convention. 8,942 paid admissions were recorded. The *Daily Bulletin*, Harbor Area’s AA newsletter -now known as *The Harbor Light* -published a special 3-day run to provide full coverage of the event. This month’s selection comprises complete reproductions of all three special issues together with a …
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In July 1960, Long Beach hosted the 3rd AA International Convention. 8,942 paid admissions were recorded. The *Daily Bulletin*, Harbor Area’s AA newsletter -now known as *The Harbor Light* -published a special 3-day run to provide full coverage of the event. This month’s selection comprises complete reproductions of all three special issues together with a …
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In 1939, Clarence S., the founder of Cleveland’s first A.A. group, decided to promote the local Fellowship by inviting a freelance reporter named Elrick B. Davis to attend the group’s meetings and write a series of articles about his experience for *The Cleveland Plain Dealer*. History records that Davis may well not have been an …
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This month we take a look at a story from the December 1945 Grapevine which was published the following year in Reader’s Digest.
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As we approach the celebration of Founders Day I thought we’d take a look back at the story of ‘Dr. Bob’s Last Drink’ with a revisionist eye at the days and dates. The days, Sunday – Dr. Bob travels from Akron to Atlantic City to attend the AMA Convention – Monday – first day of …
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This month we pay homage to Dr. Bob with a transcript of his last major talk, given in Detroit, Michigan in 1948.
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EDITORIAL: On Simplicity, of Faith, of Living, of Outlook The A.A. program itself is simple. Why do too many of us try to read complexities and mysteries into the 12 steps? In our drinking days our lives were complex and confused. We were unable to be honest with ourselves and we rationalized our wrong position …
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The Archives presents documents related to Long Beach General Hospital’s pioneering alcoholism treatment program and the first H&I panel to visit that facility.
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a sampling from our document files on the early days of A.A. in Long Beach.
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The first meeting of the East Bay Group was held in the Naples Hotel Dining room on July 3, 1947. The East Bay Group was the seventh group to be formed in this area preceded by the Mother Group (at that time called the “Long Beach Group”).
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Last month the East Bay Group held its first in-person ‘Secretaries Meeting’ since the onset of Covid. Past secretaries gathered to share their stories of the East Bay meeting.<br><br> This month we look back at a bit of their history, written by Ron R., as the meeting celebrated their 53rd anniversary.
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This month, we have a preview to the ‘Virtual Return to the 1960 AA Convention’ event this October 24th. Here is a telegram from President Eisenhower that was read during opening greetings to the convention.
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Let us never fear needed change. Certainly, we have to discriminate between changes for the worse and changes for the better. But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual, in a group or A.A as a whole, it has long since been found out that we cannot stand still and look the other …
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The July 1950 AA Grapevine article titled The Non-alcoholics-God Bless Em! stated that ‘the first non-alcoholic group started in Long Beach, California, on March 1, 1945. This month we take a look back at the original pamphlet of ‘Aims and Purposes’ from that first non-alcoholic group in Long Beach.
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This month we take a look at the story of Fritz Mayo. New York's AA #3?
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A document package comprising six flyers issued by the General Service Board of A.A. on the importance of self-support. In September of 1950, lack of voluntary contributions led Bill [W.] to issue to the Fellowship a five-page plea for support, including a request that the group secretaries call a special business meeting for the purpose …
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As we approach ‘Founders Day’ we look back at a remembrance of the life of Dr. Bob published in the American Weekly.  
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The August selection comprises three pdf files. The first contains a reproduction of *“Alcoholics Anonymous,”* Jack Alexander’s March 1, 1941 article from *The Saturday Evening Post*. The second file is a copy of his follow-up piece entitled: *“A Drunkard’s Best Friend,” *published nine years later in the April 1, 1950 edition of the same periodical. …
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The earliest known appearance of Alcoholics Anonymous in the Harbor Area was when Hugh Van Aiken (deceased) made a Twelve Step Call on Daniel “Curly” O’Neill (also deceased). This was on February 4, 1941. They talked and “Curly” began his early sobriety. Soon others in the Long Beach area who had similar problems began meeting …
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Recently I spent a delightful afternoon with Flossie Lewis’ daughter, Beverly O’Neill when she graciously donated to the Harbor Area Archives some wonderful new memorabilia. For this month’s selection please enjoy an original poem from Hal Moffett, founding president of Memorial West Alumni (MWA). It is presented here in its original ‘work in progress’ form.
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This month we’ve pulled from the archives vault the story of Hank Parkhurst.
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This month we start a new feature to the archives monthly posting: ‘Harbor Area Stories.’ From time to time we will present a personal story of A.A.’s from the Harbor Area; reflections on their life and attending meetings in the Harbor Area. This month is the story of Phil S. who celebrated 39 years of …
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This month we present another installment of ‘Harbor Area Stories.’ This month is the story of Jerry F.
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This month’s offering comprises a short history of AA in the Mid-Southern California Area written by Ellery S. in 1988 for the General Service Archives Committee in New York.
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The earliest days of Alcoholics Anonymous in Los Angeles reprinted from a pamphlet issued by the Southern California Archives Committee in 1986.
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As we enter this season of reflection, I’d like to dedicate next months’ archives posting to ‘In Memorium.’ If there is someone you’d like to post of memory of, please send your remembrance to me and I will post it next month. It’s been a long and difficult year and a moment to celebrate those …
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As we look back at the year 2020 – we take a moment to remember some of the remarkable people who graced our lives and the AA community. In particular, Mark J., the archivist prior to me, whose invention of the ‘Archives Monthly Mailing’ is a gift to all of us; keeping the archives fresh …
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As we look back at the year 2021 – we take a moment to remember some of the remarkable people who graced our lives and the A.A. community. We cherish the life they shared with us. May their memories always be a blessing. Gerry W Chair, Harbor Area Archives
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IN REMEMBRANCE OF “EBBY” By Bill Wilson In his seventieth year, and on the twenty-first of March, my friend and sponsor “Ebby” passed beyond our sight and hearing. On a chill November afternoon in 1934 it was Ebby who had brought me the message that saved my life. Still more importantly, he was the bearer …
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The August selection comprises three pdf files. The first contains a reproduction of *“Alcoholics Anonymous,”* Jack Alexander’s March 1, 1941 article from *The Saturday Evening Post*. The second file is a copy of his follow-up piece entitled: *“A Drunkard’s Best Friend,” *published nine years later in the April 1, 1950 edition of the same periodical. …
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The August selection comprises three pdf files. The first contains a reproduction of *“Alcoholics Anonymous,”* Jack Alexander’s March 1, 1941 article from *The Saturday Evening Post*. The second file is a copy of his follow-up piece entitled: *“A Drunkard’s Best Friend,” *published nine years later in the April 1, 1950 edition of the same periodical. …
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Ed Webster, a founding member of the Nicollet Group of Minneapolis began teaching “Twelve Step Study” classes to other members of the local fellowship in 1942. By 1946, The Grapevine reported that according to the group’s records, 75% of its members achieved recovery. This phenomenal success was attributed in large part to Ed’s contributions. Ed …
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This month, the Archives brings you a belated treat for the holiday season: photocopies of some correspondence between Lois W and Flossie L from the early 80s. Mostly of interest because of the correspondents but still kind of neat.
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This month we look back at a letter written by Ruth Hock to Bill Wilson on her remembrance of the early days of AA.
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This month our selection is a look back at the first five years of A.A. as told from Lois Wilson’s perspective. This was originally published in the January 1967 AA Grapevine. Lois Wilson, wife of AA’s co-founder, Bill Wilson, recalls the time in AA when there were few members and no Big Book. From the …
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This month’s offering from the Harbor Area Archives comprises a brief history of early AA in Long Beach by Flossie Lewis. In 1981, she was asked by the incoming Chairman of the Harbor Area Service Committee to compose an historical synopsis of Alcoholic Anonymous in the local area. This is what she wrote.
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This coming August 8th marks the birth of one Robert Holbrook Smith, “Dr. Bob” to the millions of AA members throughout the world. This month we present a memorial tribute from Bill Wilson to his old friend and co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. A meeting was held at the 24th Street Club House in memory of …
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Clare M. was an early Long Beach A.A. member who got sober (as near as I can make out) in 1945 at the age of 53. Twenty-seven years later, in 1972, he published a collection of musings, reflections and thoughts on A.A. life. This month, the Archives is pleased to present a reproduction of Clare’s …
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This month, the Harbor Area Archives is pleased to present a first-person narrative by Hal M., founder and past president of the MWA Club, an enduring feature of the local A.A. landscape. This little-known gem provides a personal and detailed account of the author’s journey to sobriety and the founding of MWA.
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I thought we’d start the New Year with a message from Clarence Snyder, a primary organizer of early Alcoholic Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio. Stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky during World War II, Snyder sent this message back home to the Cleveland A.A.’s via the Cleveland Central Bulletin, a monthly newsletter similar to our own Harbor …
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This month we look back at a reflection/poem from Rev. Sam Shoemaker.
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This month, we take a look at one of the early acknowledgments of the growth of A.A. by the local press. Note the use of the word ‘honest’ in the portion of the A.A. preamble to describe the program. So, when was the word ‘honest’ officially dropped from the preamble?
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Greetings, It has been a struggle to find the right words, message to present in the monthly mailing; especially the last few days. It was comforting to know that all was needed was to return to the heart of A.A. May we approach each new day with love, strength and serenity. Be Safe and Be …
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This month we present a look back at the 1971 celebration of Founders’ Day and the pivotal role that Henrietta Seiberling played in bringing together Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson. As you read this story there is one aspect that is not told that was recently pointed out to me. While honesty was one …
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This month I thought we’d take an in depth view of the story of ‘a certain American businessman’ (BB 26-28). Here is the story of Rowland H and the beginnings of what we know today as the ‘spiritual experience.’
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This month, as a salute to the 64th Harbor Area Central Office Traditions Banquet, we take a look at the original, or ‘long form’ text of the Twelve Traditions. They were first published in the May, 1946 issue of the Grapevine. In 1949 at the suggestion of Earl T, founder of AA in Chicago, they …
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The selection this month from the Harbor Area Archives is a bit of history regarding The Circle & Triangle. Our symbolic representation of Alcoholics Anonymous has gone through a lot of changes over the years. Here is a reminder of the meaning of the Circle & Triangle that we can always carry with us.
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This month we take a look back at an April, 1961 *Grapevine* article from Bill Wilson regarding faith.
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This month, and this is not an April fool’s joke, I thought we might indulge in a moment of levity. This selection comes to us courtesy of an anti-temperance almanac from 1831.
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As we celebrate the 85th anniversary of A.A. – at our virtual International Convention – I thought we’d look back to the 1941 Jack Alexander article published in the Saturday Evening Post.
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This month’s offering from the Archives should serve as an example of what such a history might look like. It details the founding of the Mother Group, the original AA group in Long Beach.
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This month we present the history and observations on the Serenity Prayer. These days, for many, it’s a part of daily lives.
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For those of you unfamiliar with the story of Irma Livoni, this month’s offering will be an eye-opener. Included in the mailing are a copy of the original letter from the LA mother group to Ms. Livoni and an explanation of the events surrounding its origins as recounted by Matt M, another one of Sybil …
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For those of you unfamiliar with the story of Irma Livoni, this month’s offering will be an eye-opener. Included in the mailing are a copy of the original letter from the LA mother group to Ms. Livoni and an explanation of the events surrounding its origins as recounted by Matt M, another one of Sybil …
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In June of 1947, the ‘Grapevine’ published what we’ve all come to know as the ‘Preamble of Alcoholic Anonymous.’ Via a floor action at the 71st General Service Conference the words ‘men and women’ were changed to ‘people.’ This month we look back at the preamble’s predecessor, ‘The Wilmington Preamble’ that was introduced to A.A. meetings …
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This month from the Harbor Area Archives, an article written for the April 1986 issue of *Reader’s Digest* by Bob P. entitled “Unforgettable Bill W.”* The author, whose story appears in the Big Book on p.553 (4th ed.), managed A.A.’s General Service Office for ten years and served as both director and trustee of the …
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This month, we look back at a story about the groundbreaking US Navy alcoholism program started here in Long Beach.
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In September of 1950, lack of voluntary contributions led Bill [W.] to issue to the Fellowship a five-page plea for support, including a request that the group secretaries call a special business meeting for the purpose of reading his (Bill’s) plea. This month, the Harbor Area Archives presents a copy of the original five-page letter …
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This selection from the Harbor Area Archives is a transcript of the “We The People” broadcast from 1939. This was the first effort to give the newly published book Alcoholics Anonymous widespread publicity. Please enjoy this fascinating slice of AA history.
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This month we take a look back at Bill Wilson answering the question: “Where did the Twelve Steps come from?” in the July 1953 AA Grapevine. It’s a story that’s been told many times and in different formats. Sometimes it’s good to read it directly from the pen of Bill Wilson.
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One of the great things with people starting to know me as the Harbor Area archivist is they’re bringing me stuff for the archives! The other day I received an *original *copy of a June 1940 stockholders report from *Works Publishing*, which was created to enable AA to self-publish the first edition of the Big …
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