Preserving the Message aims to publish monthly articles that cover various NA history related topics.
What’s New in NA History
- Come Help Us Write the Big Book: The 45th anniversary of the 2nd World Literature ConferenceEleven months after the 1st World Literature Conference (WLC), addicts gathered in Lincoln, Nebraska, to work on a book for Narcotics Anonymous. Many of the attendees first attended the 10th World Convention of NA (WCNA 10) in Wichita, KS, before traveling the 240 miles to Lincoln. Two of these travelers, attending their first WLC, brought… Read more: Come Help Us Write the Big Book: The 45th anniversary of the 2nd World Literature Conference
- How Availability Bias Influences the Study of HistoryWhen you think of major historical events, what comes to mind first? Maybe World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, or the fall of the Roman Empire. That’s not a coincidence—it’s a reflection of something called availability bias, and it plays a surprisingly big role in how we understand the past. What Is Availability Bias?… Read more: How Availability Bias Influences the Study of History
- How Narrative Bias Influences the Study of HistoryHistory isn’t just a collection of dates and facts—it’s a story we tell about the past. But like any story, the way we tell it is shaped by the lens through which we view it. One of the most powerful—and often overlooked—forces shaping our understanding of history is narrative bias. What Is Narrative Bias? Narrative… Read more: How Narrative Bias Influences the Study of History
- Cultural and Ethnocentric Bias in Historical InterpretationHistory, at its core, is the study of past events. But how we understand and interpret these events is never truly neutral. Behind every historical account is a perspective—and often, that perspective is shaped by cultural and ethnocentric bias. These biases influence which stories are told, whose voices are heard, and how societies view their… Read more: Cultural and Ethnocentric Bias in Historical Interpretation
- The Hole in the Wall GroupIn 2015, William White, Boyd Pickard, and I co-authored a blog post about The Hole in the Wall Group of Narcotics Anonymous. This blog post brought voices from members of this group from behind the walls of the Oregon State Penitentiary to the broader public. Founded in 1988, the Hole in the Wall Group is… Read more: The Hole in the Wall Group
- Seeing the Past Through a Foggy Lens: Cognitive Bias in Historical Interpretation“History is written by the victors,” they say—but it’s also rewritten, reimagined, and reinterpreted through thequirky wiring of our human brains. When we look at history, we’re not just uncovering facts; we’re filtering themthrough layers of perception, emotion, and unconscious bias. Welcome to the world of cognitive bias inhistorical interpretation. What Is Cognitive Bias? Cognitive… Read more: Seeing the Past Through a Foggy Lens: Cognitive Bias in Historical Interpretation
- Chronology of Narcotics Anonymous Literature (Public Version) – Volume 1 (1953-1993)Introduction: Literature is important to the growth and sustainability of many movements. This is especially true for modern addiction recovery mutual aid fellowships. Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), first published in 1939, has sold over 37 million copies and has been translated into over 70 languages1. It served two important functions. First, it codified how… Read more: Chronology of Narcotics Anonymous Literature (Public Version) – Volume 1 (1953-1993)
- Narcotics Anonymous: A Chronology of the Scientific and Professional LiteratureIn 2011, we (Chris Budnick, Boyd Pickard, and William White) published the first chronology of scientific and professional literature related to Narcotics Anonymous. We wrote: “Narcotics Anonymous (NA) has not received the degree of attention from the academic and professional communities commensurate with its longevity as an addiction recovery mutual aid society, its membership growth,… Read more: Narcotics Anonymous: A Chronology of the Scientific and Professional Literature
- I Already Had The HopeApril 1981 in southern California two very different groups met to address the drug problem. On April 22nd Jim Keane, Chief of Police for the Santa Monica Police Department, testified before the Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control in Los Angeles.1 Four days later, 146 recovering addicts met at the Retail Clerks Union Hall… Read more: I Already Had The Hope
- “H&A”: Northern California History and Archives CommitteeWhen the COVID-19 pandemic struck the U.S. and stay-at-home orders occurred, NA members found “ways and means” to stay clean and be of service. Zoom quickly emerged in place of face-to-face meetings. This platform lent itself to new ways of connecting (i.e., attendees not bound to a geographic area), new forms of community (i.e., meetings… Read more: “H&A”: Northern California History and Archives Committee
- 1981 Mid-South Regional Service ConferenceThe Living Clean Podcast recently published a two-part conversation with Al R., George R., and Pete B., three members who participated in the writing of the Basic Text through World Literature Conferences and local literature committees (Bristol and Philadelphia). Click these links to watch part one of this conversation and to watch part two of the conversation. Of… Read more: 1981 Mid-South Regional Service Conference
- You Are the Book! The 45th anniversary of the 1st World Literature Conference
October 6, 1979. A small group of NA members from six US states converged on Wichita, KS. They gathered to create new literature for Narcotics Anonymous. At the time of the 1st World Literature Conference (WLC), there were 1,839 known NA meetings worldwide.1 Two years earlier, Bo S. ventured to the 7th World Convention of NA (WCNA)… Read more: You Are the Book! The 45th anniversary of the 1st World Literature Conference - Unified and Staying Alive in 1985: A History of WCNA 15
Six long years have passed since WCNA 37 (Orlando). COVID canceled the original plan for WCNA 38, which was scheduled to be held in Australia in 2021. As such, Washington, D.C. is welcoming the NA fellowship back to the Capitol in 2024 for WCNA 38 (The Power of Love). This is not the first time… Read more: Unified and Staying Alive in 1985: A History of WCNA 15 - Motorcyle EdLegacy: noun [leɡəsē] Preserving the Message’s first blog concluded with acknowledging Motorcycle Ed’s archives contribution. The majority of content at the time of the public launch of the Preserving the Message website comes from his decision to have his archives digitized. This second blog tells some of Motorcycle Ed’s story and why he decided to… Read more: Motorcyle Ed
- Preserving the Message: A History and Introduction“When you know your history, you know your value. You know the price that has been paid for you to be here. You recognize what those who came before you built and sacrificed for you to inhabit the space in which you dwell.” Cicely Tyson Just As I Am: A Memoir © 2021 The Preserving… Read more: Preserving the Message: A History and Introduction