This article is to explore the story behind Alcoholics Anonymous, a brief history of AA, and the AA ymbol. The circle enclosing a triangle represents AA’s global impact and evolution, as well as the core principles of 12-step recovery.
The AA symbol of a circle encompassing a triangle, along with the words Unity, Service, and Recovery, is used in Alcoholics Anonymous to represent this. The AA symbol of a circle represents wholeness, and the triangle symbol represents the ideals and goals of the AA fellowship. Unity is one of the most important, followed by Recovery and Service.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people whose main reason for being is to help each other recover from a “seemingly hopeless state of mind and body.” The idea is that the body, as well as the mind, have suffered severe injury from years of addiction. The good news is that this damage is reversible.
The AA symbol was originally adopted at the 20th Anniversary International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1955, the circle and triangle symbol became the official AA mark. This symbol, now synonymous with AA, is used on medallions, Big Book covers, and even jewelry.
A Brief History of Alcoholics Anonymous
To begin in AA, all that is required is a desire to stop drinking and to be open to adopt a belief in a “power greater than yourself”. There is a rich history of alcoholics who have found their way to a journey of addiction recovery in this way.
Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 in Ohio by Bill Wilson and utilized ideas first introduced by the Oxford Group. Originally founded in 1921, the Oxford Group’s core belief was that most human problems originated from fear and selfishness.
The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are specifically designed to enable an individual who may be trying to stop drinking not only to stop drinking but to actually recover from alcoholism. Engaging in this work ends our isolation from our fellows by connecting us with a community that values personal responsibility, a “spiritual awakening”, and service to others.
The AA Symbol in not an Anonymous Symbol
The circle represents AA as a whole referring to unity amongst the members, and the triangle stands for the three legacies of AA:
- Unity
- Recovery
- Service
These three legacies are the bedrock of the AA.
In Alcoholics Anonymous, the circle and triangle symbol has appeared on many items, including sobriety medallions used for members of AA groups to celebrate different lengths of sobriety and the table of contents in the monthly magazine AA Grapevine.
However, by the mid-1980s, it had begun to be used by outside organizations, such as novelty manufacturers, publishers, and occasionally treatment facilities. Because there was growing concern among AA members that this violated some of the Traditions, many AA members thought the symbol should not be allowed to be used by outside enterprises.
However, it was eventually decided that AA itself was not in the business of actually manufacturing these items, and for that reason, it chose not to ban its use in these ways.
Understanding Alcoholics Anonymous
Certain symbols become beacons of hope, and the circle and triangle symbol is no exception. Many sober AA members look to this symbol of the circle as a reminder that it represents unity and stands as a testament to unity’s strength; in AA, we are at last a part of something larger than us.
The book Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: A Brief History of AA, written by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob, was originally published in 1957. It explains in great detail the early struggles involved in establishing the Steps and Traditions and the spread of AA across the US and the world.
In the early years of AA, as more and more became aware of its existence, there was a huge influx of requests and appeals for help from across the country. It was soon realized that more structure was required in order for individual groups to survive. After much struggle, the ideas for the 12 Traditions came into being to fill this need. Now, just as the Steps enable individuals to recover and thrive, the Traditions have become beacons of hope for the groups to do the same.
Conference Approved Literature
The website AA.org has a list of all available AA conference approved literature:
Literature published by A.A. World Services, Inc., is a resource for the recovering alcoholic and other individuals. In our materials, you can find out more about Alcoholics Anonymous, its history, and how it works. We publish items in English, Spanish and French. We also publish and license translations in international languages for recovering alcoholics around the world.
Alignment with AA Principles
Each of the 12 Steps embodies a principle that emphasizes the development of personal responsibility through spiritual awakening. By utilizing the concepts of recovery, unity, and service as a way to rediscover life beyond addiction, the Steps offer addicts and problem drinkers a way out of their destructive addictive patterns.
Because the disease of alcoholism affects our physical, mental, and emotional states, the circle enclosing a triangle stands for the antidote to these ailments through our participation in the process of recovery, unity, and service.
Global Impact and Evolution
In 1941, an article titled “Alcoholics Anonymous: Freed Slaves of Drink, Now They Free Others” was published in The Saturday Evening Post, a widely popular magazine of the time. The author, Jack Alexander, had met with Bill W., who wanted to increase awareness about AA through “attraction, rather than promotion.”
After the publication of this story, the office of AA in New York was overwhelmed with requests for information about how to start an AA group. This event and the follow-up article in 1950, titled “A Drunkards Best Friend”, allowed AA to tell the world about its evolution since 1935, as well as the additions and improvements to the Steps and Traditions of AA.
Circle and Triangle
In recovery, certain symbols become meaningful as a way to help us remember what is important. In our journey of addiction recovery, certain symbols can have a meaningful impact on our intent to maintain recovery on a daily basis. In AA, we have the birth of the AA symbol to thank.
If you are just now embarking on your recovery journey, remember there are others who have gone before you and still others who will be there to lend a helping hand as you progress. Let the words Unity, Service, and Recovery carry the AA message emphasizing personal responsibility, spiritual awakening, and service to others.
Turning Point of Tampa
Turning Point of Tampa is a leading addiction recovery center because we believe in the power of community, the transformative potential of personal growth, and the importance of extending support to others.
We have been offering Licensed Residential Treatment for Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders, and Dual Diagnoses in Tampa since 1987. If you need help or know someone who does, please contact our admissions department 24 hours a day.
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