November 18, 1978: How They Came To Drink The Kool-Aid

• The People’s Temple, founded in 1953 by Reverend Jim Jones, earns early reputation for helping the downtrodden, then for tightly controlling its members in a violent, drug-fueled, lawless cult, expressing a Communist ideology. In 1977, Jones moves the church and over 800 followers from California to Guyana, South America, to pursue his warped vision of Utopia in Jonestown.

• Jones creates forced-labor camp to build his community in the jungle. Stories emerge about extreme physical abuse, sexual abuse and of holding people against their will.

• On November 17, 1978 U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan, representing a northern California district, members of his staff and media visit Jonestown to investigate. The following day, as the Ryan party is about to board planes to leave, Jones’ henchman arrive at the airstrip and begin shooting, leaving five dead, including Ryan. It’s the first time a U.S. Congressman has died in the line of duty.

• When the news reaches Jonestown, Jim Jones organizes a mass suicide, convincing hundreds to drink a Kool-Aid like drink laced with cyanide. People who resist are murdered. In all, 909 people die – including Jones from a self-inflicted gunshot – the largest single episode of civilian fatalities until September 11, 2001.

Survivors

• Jonestown survivors speak out about their experiences

– Interviews with survivors bring out the harsh truth about Jones, and how he got his followers to obey him.

Yulanda Williams, a survivor who was actually permitted to leave Jonestown, recalls her childhood days in Guyana.

Yulanda Williams, a survivor who was actually permitted to leave Jonestown, recalls her childhood days in Guyana.

30 Years Later: Remembrances Still making sense of Jonestown, and

attaching some meaning to the lives lost.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008:Survivors, friends and relatives place flowers on new Jonestown memorial in Oakland, California. Over 400 of the dead, most of them children, remain unidentified.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008:Survivors, friends and relatives place flowers on new Jonestown memorial in Oakland, California. Over 400 of the dead, most of them children, remain unidentified.

The memorial in Oakland, 30 years later, dedicated to fallen victims of the Peoples Temple.

The memorial in Oakland, 30 years later, dedicated to fallen victims of the Peoples Temple.

2008: A Gruesome Milestone30th Anniversary prompts documentaries on the massacre, Jonestown, Jim Jones and survivors.

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

(2006)

The story of the People’s Temple and how Jones lured his desperate followers. is told. PBS’ documentary questions how and why hundreds of people go willingly

to their deaths.

YouTube Link

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

(2006)

The story of the People’s Temple and how Jones lured his desperate followers. is told. PBS’ documentary questions how and why hundreds of people go willingly

to their deaths.

YouTube Link

Jonestown: Paradise Lost(2007)

A reenactment of the events that occurred at Jonestown, presented by

The History Channel. The program looks at the week before the mass

suicide occurred.

YouTube Link

Jonestown: Paradise Lost(2007)

A reenactment of the events that occurred at Jonestown, presented by

The History Channel. The program looks at the week before the mass

suicide occurred.

YouTube Link

Escape From Jonestown(2008)

CNN shows new footage from Jonestown and interviews survivors. It’s revealed in this documentary that children were the first to drink the cyanide at Jonestown.

YouTube Link

Escape From Jonestown(2008)

CNN shows new footage from Jonestown and interviews survivors. It’s revealed in this documentary that children were the first to drink the cyanide at Jonestown.

YouTube Link

30 Years Later: In the Media• Time Magazine and the Washington Post put out pieces on the mass suicide at

Jonestown, which included stunning interviews and never before seen pictures. Survivors found the 30th Anniversary of Jonestown very emotional.

Over 900 passports were found on-scene at JonestownOver 900 passports were found on-scene at Jonestown Dead bodies strewn over the ground in Guyana.Dead bodies strewn over the ground in Guyana.

“He found ways to take control of and isolate his members from their families and from the outside. One of the things that he did was press them to give up their belongings, sign over their houses in some cases, sign over custody of their children.”

-Tim Reiterman's Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People.

“He found ways to take control of and isolate his members from their families and from the outside. One of the things that he did was press them to give up their belongings, sign over their houses in some cases, sign over custody of their children.”

-Tim Reiterman's Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People.

30 Years Later: Conclusions• Presidential opposition against President Johnson was high in the 1970’s

during the Vietnam War, and many Americans found hope in their new leader, Jim Jones.– The mass suicide at Jonestown continues to be one of the most horrific episodes ever

seen in American History. This tragedy helped shape the ‘70s.

• By looking at the Jonestown Massacre media coverage, America has become more accustomed to dealing with these kinds of tragedies since. (Columbine, 9/11).– 9/11 was commemorated in similar ways; Hollywood films, World Trade Center and

United 93 were released.

• Since Jonestown, Americans are warned to be more careful when trusting their leaders.– First-hand interviews with Jonestown survivors talk about how his seductive words

sucked them during desperate times. The survivors wished they had not gotten caught up in Jones’ extremism.

• Presidential opposition against President Johnson was high in the 1970’s during the Vietnam War, and many Americans found hope in their new leader, Jim Jones.– The mass suicide at Jonestown continues to be one of the most horrific episodes ever

seen in American History. This tragedy helped shape the ‘70s.

• By looking at the Jonestown Massacre media coverage, America has become more accustomed to dealing with these kinds of tragedies since. (Columbine, 9/11).– 9/11 was commemorated in similar ways; Hollywood films, World Trade Center and

United 93 were released.

• Since Jonestown, Americans are warned to be more careful when trusting their leaders.– First-hand interviews with Jonestown survivors talk about how his seductive words

sucked them during desperate times. The survivors wished they had not gotten caught up in Jones’ extremism.

Bibliography1. Gottlieb, Jody. CNN Presents: Escape From Jonestown. 2008. CNN.

2. Kilduff, Marshall. An Overdue Memorial in Oakland. The San Francisco Chronicle. December 3, 2007. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/03/EDUSTM39R.DTL

3. Krause, Charles, A. Town Without Pity. The Washington Post. November 19, 2008.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/18/AR2008111803694.html

4. Nelson, Stanley. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple. 2006. Firelight Media Inc.

5. Sachs, Andrea. Q&A: A Jonestown Survivor Remembers. Time Magazine. November 18, 2008.http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1859903,00.html

6. Wolochatiuk, Tim. Jonestown: Paradise Lost. 2007. Cineflix.