The Jonestown Massacre

Ariel Kadash

Inception

• In 1956 The Peoples Temple was established in Indianapolis, Indiana by Jim Jones during the beginning of the Civil Rights movement• Racially integrated church that focused mainly on helping

people in need

• Jim Jones sought to establish a communist community and believed in living in harmony and working together for the common good.

The Move

Jones believes that a nuclear holocaust was eminent so he moves his congregation to Redwood Valley, California

Happy Beginnings

• Jones, officially, was an ordained minister of the Disciples of Christ

• He started programs to help the elderly and poor

• He was appointed to the city’s Housing Authority Commission by the Mayor of San Francisco

• At one point his congregation numbered 8,000 people– Mostly poor African Americans

Guyana = Paradise

• Jones wanted full control of his followers and to be far away from the government’s prying eyes

• He soon found a remote location in Guyana and in 1973 he leased the land from Guyana’s government and sent workers to clear the jungle

Thousands of people trusted him; but why would anyone not? Jones

was a man of God. All he wanted to do was help other people. He was

leading people to a paradise…

Progress• Construction was slow since all supplies had to

be shipped into the jungle• 4 years after first leasing the land only 50

people lived in the compound• Jim Jones was not one of them

Controversy• Word reached Jim Jones that an article was

being printed about him and The Peoples Temple

• The article included interviews from ex-members talking about being abused and examined his fake healings and extremely forceful fundraising which often pushed members to liquidate their assets and give it to the church

• So Jones and about 1,000 members leave for Guyana the night before the article was to be released

Utopia? Where?

• Jones and company arrived early to the compound where things weren’t as good as they expected

• There weren’t enough cabins built yet so they became overcrowded and were segregated by gender so married couples were separated

• Heat and humidity caused members to become ill along with long hard days of at least 11 hours a day

Utopia? Where?

• Also loud speakers were placed throughout the camp and Jones's voice was broadcasted at all time even long into the night

• This drove some members to regret their decision and they wanted out

• Unfortunately, the camp was surrounded by jungle and guards members needed Jones's permission to leave and he always said no.

No one knew the horrible plan he had for his followers`…

America Concerned

• In June 1978 Deborah Layton was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle and was indentified as a Temple deserter

• She exposed Jones for his brutality, horrible conditions at the camp and plans for mass suicide at Jonestown

• Family members of all Jonestown residents demanded an official investigation

The First & Last Visit to Jonestown

• Representative Leo Ryan, his aide, an escort officer, two members of the American Embassy, four relatives, two lawyers and 11 newsmen left Georgetown on November 17th

• All 22 people landed on the Port Kaituma airstrip at 3:30

• They were greeted by six Peoples Temple representatives who told the group only the lawyers should go to talk to Jim Jones about the admittance of the rest of the party

The First & Last Visit to Jonestown

• It was decided that they were all allowed to enter; also Ryan and his party would stay the night while everyone else had dinner then had to stay in Port Kaituma and return the next day

• Everything went well with Ryan interviewing residents and Ryan stated that “he had heard Jonestown was the greatest place on Earth”

The First & Last Visit to Jonestown

• For some it was but several members wanted out; they approached Ryan and asked to leave with them

• Six people total wanted to leave the next morning after Ryan finished all interviews

• After being attacked while walking with Jones he was urged to leave and he did so

The First & Last Visit to Jonestown

• When they arrived at the airstrip their two airplanes were not ready to leave

• As they waited shots rang out from the jungle• Congressman Leo Ryan, three of the

newsman, and a member of Jonestown lay dead

• Many others were wounded• Only one plane was functional none and left

with the severely injured while survivors waited for the next plane

It’s All Over Now

• Jones then preceded to tell the whole camp about the shooting and said they would never escape the death of Ryan and four others

• He said the only way out was to be poisoned or be shot by Guyanese troops

• The poison was created by Dr. Schacht and was a “Grape Flavor Kool-Aid” mixed with potassium cyanide.

It’s All Over Now

• The first to drink were children led by their parents

• Those who refused were either shot or injected with the poison

• During this $7.3 million was to be transferred to the Soviet Union embassy by letters

• Jim Jones was one of the last to die, being shot in the head

• At 11:00 almost everyone was dead

Survivors

• This day was dubbed “White Night” by Jim Jones and took 918 lives (276 children)

• 85 people survived by either escaping or pure luck; one slept through the whole thing

• Only one person, Christine Miller, stood up to Jones but was injected with a needle and died