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How did the preacher Jim Jones die?
Jim Jones died of a gunshot wound to the head in Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. His death occurred during the Jonestown Massacre, when he ordered the mass murder-suicide of more than 900 members of his Peoples Temple religious group.
Who led the Jonestown massacre?
It is unfathomable now, as it was then, that more than 900 Americans – members of a San Francisco-based religious group called the Peoples Temple – died after drinking poison at the urging of their leader, the Reverend Jim Jones, in a secluded South American jungle settlement.
How many survivors were there at the Jonestown massacre?
About 80 members of Peoples Temple who were living in Guyana survived that day. Hundreds of members living in San Francisco and Los Angeles did too.
Can you visit Jonestown today?
It is possible to go to the site where Jonestown once stood, but it is also extremely difficult. First of all, Jonestown has been largely reclaimed by the jungle.
Is Jim Jones still alive?
November 18, 1978Jim Jones / Date of death
Why was the Jonestown massacre important?
Prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the tragedy at Jonestown marked the single largest loss of U.S. civilian lives in a non-natural disaster. The megalomaniacal man behind the tragedy, Jim Jones, came from humble beginnings.
Who was Christine Miller?
The most famous of these people may be Christine Miller, who valiantly tried to dissuade the Jonestown leadership's decision to enact revolutionary suicide. Christine was born in Brownsville, Texas on June 4, 1918.
Where is Jim Jones buried?
Evergreen CemeteryIt is located in the Garden of Remembrance by the mausoleum. 409 of the victims -- who all died in November 1978 -- are buried in a mass grave at Oakland's Evergreen Cemetery. A memorial listing all 900+ casualties, including cult leader Jim Jones, was completed at the grave site in 2011.
What is Jim Jones known for?
Jim Jones is known for being the leader of the Peoples Temple religious group and for the Jonestown Massacre, when he led the mass murder-suicide o...
Where did Jim Jones go to college?
Jim Jones attended Indiana University before transferring to Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he graduated in 1961.
How did Jim Jones die?
Jim Jones died of a gunshot wound to the head in Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. His death occurred during the Jonestown Massacre, when he...
How did Jim Jones die?
Jim Jones died of a gunshot wound to the head in Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. His death occurred during the Jonestown Massacre, when he ordered the mass murder-suicide of more than 900 members of his Peoples Temple religious group. As a young child, Jones became a regular churchgoer, and, after graduating from Butler University, ...
Who is Jim Jones?
Jim Jones, byname of James Warren Jones, (born May 13, 1931, Crete, near Lynn, Indiana, U.S.—died November 18, 1978, Jonestown, Guyana), American cult leader who promised his followers a utopia in the jungles of South America after proclaiming himself messiah of the Peoples Temple, ...
How did the Jonestown cult die?
Jones himself died of a gunshot wound in the head, possibly self-inflicted. Guyanese troops reached Jonestown the next day, and the death toll of cultists was eventually placed at 913, including 304 who were under the age of 18.
Where was the Jonestown massacre?
Discover the history behind the 1978 Jonestown massacre. Overview of Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, and the 1978 massacre at Jonestown, Guyana. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. See all videos for this article. On November 14, 1978, U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan of California arrived in Guyana with a group of reporters and relatives of cultists ...
How did Jim Jones die?
Following the mass murder-suicide, Jones was found dead at the stage of the central pavilion; he was resting on a pillow near his deck chair, with a gunshot wound to his head which Guyanese coroner Cyril Mootoo said was consistent with suicide. Jones's body was later moved outside the pavilion for examination and embalming. The official autopsy conducted in December 1978 also confirms Jones's death as a suicide. His son Stephan believes his father may have directed someone else to shoot him, but this is speculation. The autopsy also showed levels of the barbiturate pentobarbital in Jones's body, which may have been lethal to humans who had not developed physiological tolerance. According to Jeff Guinn's book The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple, Jones’s body was cremated and his remains were scattered in the Atlantic Ocean.
How did Jim Jones become frustrated?
In 1951, 20-year-old Jones began attending gatherings of the Communist Party USA in Indianapolis. He became flustered with harassment during the McCarthy Hearings, particularly regarding an event that he attended with his mother focusing on Paul Robeson, after which she was harassed by FBI agents in front of her co-workers for attending. Jones also became frustrated with the persecution of open and accused communists in the U.S., especially during the trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Jones said he asked himself, "How can I demonstrate my Marxism? The thought was, infiltrate the church."
Why did the New West article mention Jonestown?
Jones had started building Jonestown several years before the New West article was published. It was promoted as a means to create both a "socialist paradise" and a " sanctuary " from the media scrutiny in San Francisco. Jones purported to establish it as a model communist community, adding that the Temple comprised "the purest communists there are". Jones did not permit members to leave the settlement.
What was the cyanide used in the movie "Jonestown"?
With that reasoning, Jones and several members argued that the group should commit "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced grape-flavored Flavor Aid. Later-released Temple films show Jones opening a storage container full of Kool-Aid in large quantities. However, empty packets of grape Flavor Aid found on the scene show that this is what was used to mix the solution, along with a sedative. Jones had taken large shipments of cyanide into Jonestown for several years prior to November 1978, having obtained a jeweler's license that would allow him to purchase the compound in bulk to purportedly clean gold.
Why did Jones study Hitler?
Jones was known to regularly study Adolf Hitler and Father Divine to learn how to manipulate members of the Peoples Temple. Divine told Jones personally to "find an enemy" and "to make sure they know who the enemy is" as it will unify those in the group and make them subservient to him.
Where was James Warren Jones born?
Early life. James Warren Jones was born on May 13, 1931, in a rural area of Crete, Indiana, to James Thurman Jones, a World War I veteran, and Lynetta Putnam. Jones was of Irish and Welsh descent; he later claimed partial Cherokee ancestry through his mother, but his maternal second cousin said this was untrue.
Where did Jim Jones go to high school?
Jones's parents separated, and Jones relocated with his mother to Richmond, Indiana. In December 1948, he graduated from Richmond High School early with honors. To support himself, Jones worked as an orderly at Richmond's Reid Hospital and was well-regarded by the senior management.
Who did Jones arrange for the murder of?
Yet, hours before the massacre, he arranged for the murders of U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and three journalists. They had just visited Jonestown to investigate claims of abuse, and Jones knew they would return home and report his criminal activity: He would be headed to jail and his temple would be leaderless.
Was Jim Jones dying?
Another theory about Jones’ death is that he was already dying. Believing his members couldn’t survive without him, this was his opportunity to die on his own terms.
Where was Jim Jones born?
James "Jim" Jones was born on May 13, 1931, in Crete, Indiana. Jones grew up during the Great Depression, and his family was incredibly poor at the time.
What did Jones tell his followers?
In a conspiracy theory promoted by Jones, he told his followers that intelligence organizations were allegedly conspiring against them.
When did the Jonestown massacre occur?
In November of 1978 , Congressman Leo Ryan and a group of reporters and camera crew headed to Jonestown to investigate allegations of abuse.
What age group is the second leading cause of death?
For people ages 10 and 34, suicide was the "second leading cause of death" and the fourth for individuals ages 35 to 54.
How many people did the cult leader kill?
The cult leader convinced over 900 people to kill themselves via cyanide poisoning, before he allegedly shot himself.
Is Leonardo DiCaprio playing Jim Jones in a movie?
On November 8, 2021, it was announced that Leonardo DiCaprio is set to star as Jim Jones in an MGM film named after the cult leader.
What was the most important thing to Jones?
Ultimately, control, according to Scheeres, was what was most important to Jones. “He tried to control people's bodies,” she says. “He couldn't stand it when people left the church; he would go into a rage. But the ultimate control and the ultimate loyalty test for him was: if I order you, would you lay down your life for this cause—for me?”
How many people died in the Jonestown massacre?
Just two years later, on Nov. 18, 1978, those words became reality when more than 900 people, one-third of them children, died during what would be known as the Jonestown Massacre, one of the worst mass killings in American history. In 1977, Jones, the self-proclaimed “messiah” of his evangelical flock, led his followers to a remote jungle in ...
What was found at Jonestown?
A pile of paper cups with cyanide-laced fruit punch, and a pile of hypodermic syringes, found at Jonestown by Guyanese officials. In fact, according to Scheeres, Jones held a number of mass suicide rehearsals to see how the crowd would respond, and who would cause him trouble.
Who visited Jonestown in 1978?
A Congressman's visit threatened to expose Jonestown lies. pinterest-pin-it. Congressman Leo Ryan visiting Jonestown on November 18, 1978. He is pictured with women of the Houston family— Patty, Phyllis, Carol and Judy —whom he was asked to check on by the father who had escaped The People's Temple. FBI/Everett.
Who was the congressman who visited Jonestown?
Congressman Leo Ryan visiting Jonestown on November 18, 1978. He is pictured with women of the Houston family— Patty, Phyllis, Carol and Judy —whom he was asked to check on by the father who had escaped The People's Temple.
Did Jones enforce a rule that when his voice was played over the PA system rigged throughout the commune, no?
Scheeres says Jones enforced a rule that when his voice was played over the PA system rigged throughout the commune, no one was allowed to talk. “So, there was no opportunity for people to plot and plan about how to get out of Jonestown,” she says.
How did Jim Jones die?
These are questions that may never be definitively answered. All that is known for certain was that Jim Jones died of a gunshot wound to the head, and that he was one of only two people to die in Jonestown of a gunshot.
Who shot the girl who died in Jonestown?
Finally, others have suggested that the person who shot Jones could have been Annie Moore, the only other person in Jonestown known to have died of a gunshot wound. Moore could have fired the gun, but only if one accepts the scenario that Jones asked her to do it.
What did Jim Jones do in the 1960s?
Jones himself was passionately committed to civil rights —during the 1960s, he helped integrate churches, hospitals, restaurants, and movie theaters, and he personally adopted several children of color.
Who was Jim Jones' lawyer?
There were a number of lawsuits going on in United States, calling on Jim Jones to come back. Jim’s lawyer, Mark Lane, had come down to Guyana and told him there was a conspiracy against him. So Jim sent Mark back to the United States to handle the lawsuits and take care of the situation.
What did Jim Jones say on the loudspeakers?
And the rule was that we couldn’t talk when Jim Jones was talking. So on the loudspeakers, he’d suddenly call out, “White Night! White Night! Get to the pavilion! Run! Your lives are in danger!” Everyone would rush to the pavilion in middle of the encampment.
What did Jim say if people defected?
And if people did defect, Jim said he’d send them things that had poison on them. At least, that’s what he told us he was doing. It’s really hard to tell what he was actually doing. In the long run, Jim gave in to drugs and he got himself boxed into a corner.
Who fled Jonestown?
Teri Buford O'Shea fled Jonestown just three weeks before all its inhabitants committed suicide. Here, she explains why the tragedy should be a cautionary tale for everyday people. Teri Buford O’Shea fled Jonestown three weeks before all its inhabitants committed suicide.
Was Jim Jones a charismatic man?
He was very charismatic and attracted people who were feeling vulnerable or disenfranchised for whatever reason. Most of them were African American, but there were also white people, Jewish people, people of Mexican descent. There were religious Christians and communists. If you wanted religion, Jim Jones could give it to you. If you wanted socialism, he could give it to you. If you were looking for a father figure, he’d be your father. He always homed in on what you needed and managed to bring you in emotionally.
Was Jim Jones a good guy?
It’s hard to know the mind of Jim Jones. He was a very complex, confusing character. In some ways he was a good guy. He was passionate about interracial integration. The People’s Temple built schools, built housing, built a health clinic, built a kitchen, cleared fields, harvested crops.
How did Jim Jones die?
Jim Jones, age 47, was found in a chair, dead from a single bullet wound to the head, most likely self-inflicted. The death toll at Jonestown on November 18, 1978 was 909 people, a third of them children.
Who was Jim Jones?
civilian lives in a non-natural disaster. The megalomaniacal man behind the tragedy, Jim Jones, came from humble beginnings. Jones was born on May 31, 1931, in rural Indiana. In the early 1950s, he began working as a self-ordained Christian minister in small churches around Indianapolis. In order to raise money to start a church of his own, the charismatic Jones tried various ventures, including selling live monkeys door-to-door.
What happened in the Jonestown massacre?
The “Jonestown Massacre” occurred on November 18, 1978, when more than 900 members of an American cult called the Peoples Temple died in a mass suicide-murder under the direction of their leader Jim Jones (1931-78). It took place at the so-called Jonestown settlement in the South American nation of Guyana. Jones had founded what became the Peoples Temple in Indiana in the 1950s, then relocated his congregation to California in the 1960s. In the 1970s, following negative media attention, the powerful, controlling preacher moved with some 1,000 of his followers to the Guyanese jungle, where he promised they would establish a utopian community. On November 18, 1978, U.S. Representative Leo Ryan, who had gone to Jonestown to investigate claims of abuse, was murdered along with four members of his delegation. That same day, Jones ordered his followers to ingest poison-laced punch while armed guards stood by.
What did Jones tell his followers?
900 Die at Jonestown. The same day as the murders at the airstrip, Jones told his followers that soldiers would come for them and torture them. He ordered everyone to gather in the main pavilion and commit what he termed a “revolutionary act.”.
Where are the bodies of Jim Jones buried?
More than 400 unclaimed bodies from the Jonestown tragedy are buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland, California, where many of Jim Jones' followers were from. A stone memorial to the Jonestown victims was unveiled at the cemetery in 2008. Jones opened his first Peoples Temple church in Indianapolis in the mid-1950s.
When did Trouble in Paradise take place?
Trouble in Paradise: Prelude to Jonestown. In 1974, a small group of Jones’ followers went to Guyana to establish an agricultural cooperative on a tract of jungle in the tiny nation of Guyana.
Where did the Jones family move to?
Faced with unflattering media attention and mounting investigations, the increasingly paranoid Jones, who often wore dark sunglasses and traveled with bodyguards, invited his congregation to move with him to Guyana, where he promised them they would build a socialist utopia.
Overview
James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American preacher, political activist and mass murderer. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978. In 1976, Jones privately self-identified as an atheist. In what he called "revolutionary suicide", Jones and the members of his inner circle orchestrated a mass murder–suicide in his remote …
Early life
James Warren Jones was born on May 13, 1931, in the rural community of Crete, Indiana, to James Thurman Jones and Lynetta Putnam. Jones's father was a disabled World War I veteran who suffered from severe breathing difficulties due to injuries which he sustained in a chemical weapons attack.
His father's illness led to financial difficulties. In 1934, the Jones family was evicted from their h…
Peoples Temple
In early 1952, Jones announced to his wife and her family that he would become a Methodist minister, believing the church was ready to "put real socialism into practice." Jones was surprised when a Methodist district superintendent helped him get a start in the church, even though he knew Jones to be a communist.
In the summer of 1952, Jones was hired as student pastor to the children at th…
Jonestown
Jones began to receive negative press beginning in October 1971 when reporters covered one of Jones's divine healing services during a visit to his old church in Indianapolis. The news report led to an investigation by the Indiana State Psychology Board into Jones's healing practices in 1972. A doctor involved in the investigation accused Jones of "quackery" and challenged Jone…
Death and aftermath
Jones’s three sons, Stephan, Jim Jr., and Tim Jones were with the Peoples Temple's basketball team in Georgetown at the time of the mass poisoning. During the events at Jonestown, the three brothers drove to the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown to alert the authorities. Guyanese soldiers guarding the embassy refused to let them in after hearing about the shootings at the Port Kaituma air…
Reactions and legacy
The events at Jonestown were immediately subject to extensive media coverage and became known as the Jonestown Massacre. As awareness reached the public, outsiders refused to accept Jones's attempt to blame them for the deaths. Critics and apologists offered a variety of explanations for the events that transpired among Jones's followers. The Soviet Union publicly distanced itself from Jones and what they referred to his "bastardization" of the concept of revol…
Further reading
• Bebelaar, Judy and Ron Cabral. "And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of Peoples Temple". Sugartown Publishing, 2018. ISBN 978-0-9987096-8-0.
• Flynn, Daniel J. (2018). Cult City: Jim Jones, Harvey Milk, and 10 Days that Shook San Francisco. ISI Books. ISBN 978-1-61017-151-9.
• Hutchinson, Sikivu (2015). White Nights, Black Paradise. Infidel Books. ISBN 978-0-692-26713-4.
External links
• The Jonestown Institute
• "Jim Jones". Encyclopædia Britannica. [2002] 2020.
• Jim Jones at IMDb
• Jonestown 30 Years Later, photo gallery published Friday, October 17, 2008.