This day in history
Patrick Haynes
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: News
On Nov. 18, 1978, one of the largest massacres occurred when cult leader Jim Jones led 907 followers to commit mass-suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. ?
Jones created and led the People's Temple, a semi-religious extremist cult, in San Francisco, Calif. He first gained recognition as a member of the Communist Party USA in the '50s and regularly attended rallies in Indianapolis, Ind. He later helped lead a movement in Indianapolis in the '60s to integrate churches and restaurants in the city. ?
After living in South America from 1961-1965, Jones returned to the U.S. proclaiming that he would move to northern California to create a haven from threats of nuclear attacks, which were present at the time. After gathering an increasing number of followers throughout the remainder of the decade, Jones began to make speeches attacking many of the world's prevalent religions. These speeches led his prospective followers to his newly proposed "religion."
Jones began building the community of Jonestown in 1974, which he named after himself and viewed as a sanctuary from the outside world. This lasted until November 1978, when U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan was sent with a team of delegates to investigate and gather facts on Jonestown. ?
After a failed attempt on Ryan's life on Nov. 18, the team gathered its findings and planned to leave immediately. They were met by Jones' "Red Brigade," who proceeded to shoot at the team, killing five of the team members, including Ryan, who remains the only congressman murdered in the line of duty. ?
After brainwashing his followers into hysterics, with promises that military forces would attack them, Jones convinced his followers to commit suicide. The followers drank cyanide-laced Flavor-Aid with sedatives. A quarter of the victims were children. Jones was later found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. No video of the atrocity was ever made although the FBI recovered an audio recording of the event. ?
A few members of Jones' Temple survived the event, including members of Jones' family, who were given assignments that made them unable to be attend the suicide. One member, Christine Miller, openly questioned Jones at the mass suicide and voiced her disapproval of the actions that would come to pass, though she died later that day. ?
One of the world's single greatest tragedies occurred 31 years ago today. A loss of American life matching Jonestown did not occur until the Sept. 11 attacks. Many believe that Jones brainwashed his followers into their actions. The event shook the nation in its aftermath and led to many regulations and steps to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again. ?
Jones created and led the People's Temple, a semi-religious extremist cult, in San Francisco, Calif. He first gained recognition as a member of the Communist Party USA in the '50s and regularly attended rallies in Indianapolis, Ind. He later helped lead a movement in Indianapolis in the '60s to integrate churches and restaurants in the city. ?
After living in South America from 1961-1965, Jones returned to the U.S. proclaiming that he would move to northern California to create a haven from threats of nuclear attacks, which were present at the time. After gathering an increasing number of followers throughout the remainder of the decade, Jones began to make speeches attacking many of the world's prevalent religions. These speeches led his prospective followers to his newly proposed "religion."
Jones began building the community of Jonestown in 1974, which he named after himself and viewed as a sanctuary from the outside world. This lasted until November 1978, when U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan was sent with a team of delegates to investigate and gather facts on Jonestown. ?
After a failed attempt on Ryan's life on Nov. 18, the team gathered its findings and planned to leave immediately. They were met by Jones' "Red Brigade," who proceeded to shoot at the team, killing five of the team members, including Ryan, who remains the only congressman murdered in the line of duty. ?
After brainwashing his followers into hysterics, with promises that military forces would attack them, Jones convinced his followers to commit suicide. The followers drank cyanide-laced Flavor-Aid with sedatives. A quarter of the victims were children. Jones was later found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. No video of the atrocity was ever made although the FBI recovered an audio recording of the event. ?
A few members of Jones' Temple survived the event, including members of Jones' family, who were given assignments that made them unable to be attend the suicide. One member, Christine Miller, openly questioned Jones at the mass suicide and voiced her disapproval of the actions that would come to pass, though she died later that day. ?
One of the world's single greatest tragedies occurred 31 years ago today. A loss of American life matching Jonestown did not occur until the Sept. 11 attacks. Many believe that Jones brainwashed his followers into their actions. The event shook the nation in its aftermath and led to many regulations and steps to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again. ?
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