Peoples Temple, formed in
Indianapolis during 1950’s
Jim Jones- Cult leader
140 followers moved with Jones to
Redwood Valley in Mendocino
County, California
Felt they would be safe from fallout in case of a nuclear attack on United
States if they lived there
Late 1960’s: congregation down to less than 100- on verge of collapse
Jones had Peoples Temple form an affiliation with Disciples of Christ
Membership started to go up
Jones had larger influence in West
Coast area
Moved group to San Francisco in
1971
Opened another church in Los
Angeles
Jones: in San Francisco, was appointed to city commissions and made grants to local newspapers with goal of supporting First Amendment
Scandals and investigations started to go on in San Fran
Jones decided to leave to create utopian community in Guyana
Would have absolute power over his members since they were far away from US authorities/intervention or relatives of members
1974- leased over 3000 acres of jungle land from the Guyanese government
Members of Peoples Temple began construction of Jonestown under supervision of senior members who were assigned by Jones
1977: membership was at 50, in
1978 it was at over 900
Members thought Guyana was going to be a paradise- Jones had promised
All of the residents, including the children, raised food and animals for
“Peoples Temple Agricultural
Project”
Work was 6 days a week, 7 in morning to 6 in evening
Temperatures reached over 100 degrees
Meals would consist of rice and beans while Jones ate meat and other refrigerated foods
Cruel and unusual punishment used against members considered to be serious disciplinary problems
Imprisonment in a 6 by 4 by 3 foot plywood box and forcing children to spend a night at the bottom of a well
Members who tried to run away were drugged to the point of incapacitation
Armed guards patrolled compound day and night to ensure Jones’s orders were followed
Children were in communal care
Addressed Jones as “Dad”
Only allowed to see real parents briefly at night
Jones was called “Father” or “Dad” by adults as well
Guyanese locals have told horror stories of punishments, and the
“torture hole” where children were put in the middle of the night
He told children there was a monster living in the bottom of the well
Had people pull and tug children when they went into well
“White Nights” –rehearsed mass suicides
In practice nights, people were told they would die, were forced to drink unsweetened Flavor Aid, told it contained poison
Only after everyone drank the concoction were they informed they was no poison
This was a test of loyalty and faith in
Jones
Phrase “Drinking the kool-aid” came from this
November 1978
Congressman Leo Ryan, Democrat from San Francisco, flew to
Jonestown
Team of 18 people, officials, media representatives, members of group
“Concerned Relatives of Peoples
Temple Members”
They intended to investigate allegations that human rights were being violated daily at the Peoples
Temple, individuals being held against their free will, individuals had their money and passports confiscated, mass suicide rehearsals were being conducted
Ryan and group came
Some Peoples Temple members moved to defect
Others left the colony, Jones was angry when he found out
Ryan did not have a large enough plane to carry those who wanted to leave, they would have to schedule another flight
Member of Temple, on Jones’s orders, attacked Ryan with knife
A loyalist demanded to join group leaving
People on plane did not like idea, but
Ryan said that they would take anyone who wanted to leave
Loyalist opened fire right before take off
A tractor appeared, circled plane and opened fire
Shooting was filmed, even though cameraman was killed
Congressman Ryan and some news team members were killed
Jim Jones called a meeting of the community- Nov 18, 1978
He told the people that Ryan was going to be killed and that that would cause an attack on Jonestown and everyone would be killed
Mixed cyanide and Valium into a metal vat full of grape “Flavor Aid” a
Kool-Aid knock-off
Caused death in about 5 minutes
No one who drank the poison that evening survived
Babies and small children were first, over two hundred of them
Poured into mouths with syringes
Afterward were the adults with paper cups of poison
Told to lie down together along walkways
Jones was dead as well from a gunshot wound. No one knows if he committed suicide or if someone else shot him
Many thought this was just another rehearsal and did not see the people convulsing and dying
Some armed guards had to shoot people who were resisting
909 Temple members died and 5 others (including Ryan)
How could one man achieve such control?
Jim Jones had a paranoid belief that the American government was plotting to destroy anyone who was involved in the Peoples Temple
Jones had always removed the
“threats” to the safety of his followers
They learned to trust him and call him “Father”
Self-sufficient community
Everyone would be equal
Drew himself to the outcasts of society, as well as those who wanted to help the downtrodden, serve those in need
Preached the need for racial brotherhood and integration
Both black and white worshipped side by side
Congregation worked to feed the poor, find employment for the jobless, and help ex-criminals and drug addicts put their lives back together
Started to put more and more demands on congregation
Started promising miraculous healings where cancers would be removed and the blind made to see
Recruits would witness a community of brotherhood and fellowship where everyone, no matter their social standing or color, was treated as equals
Severe initiation was required by new members, made entry that much more desirable
Created a much higher level of commitment from members
More that was sacrificed, more that was achieved
By the time the members thought demands were oppressive, they were so heavily committed they just accepted it
Demands on member’s time, financial commitment would increase, amounts given recorded openly
Highest level of commitment was when the individual or family lived at the Peoples Temple facilitieshanding over all personal property, savings, and social security checks
Communal living
Capitalism was evil and destructive
Achievement of higher spirituality would require a struggle against own weaknesses
Usually had isolated themselves from family and friends, couldn’t admit mistakes, would be alone without a support group
If you left the complex, you had no passport, papers, or money to help you escape