On November 18, 1978, a cult by the name of Peoples Temple led by Jim Jones, was established in Jonestown compound Guyana. After a period of time, members were then instructed to commit an act of “revolutionary suicide,” by drinking poisoned punch. Having that done, almost over 900 people died that day, nearly a third of whom were children.
The Jonestown Massacre was the most deadly single non-natural disaster in U.S. history until September 11, 2001. The Jonestown Massacre also remains the only time in history in which a U.S. congressman (Leo Ryan) was killed in the line of duty.
During the 1950s, the first church established by Jones was in Indianapolis. Then, he was not affiliated with any particular denomination and has no theological training. The church was said to be racially integrated and was focused on helping people in need. Jones had a vision of a community which persons would live together in harmony and worked for the common good. In 1960 Jones’s congregation, by then called the Peoples Temple, affiliated with the Disciples of Christ, and four years later Jones was ordained in that church.
Settlement In Guyana
Jim Jones utilized a remote location where his needs can be met and that location is here in Guyana. By 1977, after receiving a lease from the government, the land was then clear of its jungle. However, construction was slow since all building supplies needed to be shipped in to the Jonestown Agricultural Settlement. In early 1977, there were only about 50 people living in the compound and Jones was still in the U.S. Further, all this changed when Jim Jones and company found out that an expose was about to be printed about him.
The heat of things
Jonestown was meant to be a paradise. However, when members arrived at Jonestown, their expectations of things were not as they planned. Reason being, due to congested cabins since they lacked space. The cabins were also segregated by gender, so married couples were forced to live apart. In addition, due to the heat and humidity in Jonestown, members who were required to work long hours per day, were getting sick
Throughout the compound, members could hear Jones’s voice broadcast through a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, Jones often would talk endlessly on the loudspeaker, even through the night. Exhausted from a long day’s work, members did their best to sleep through it.
Members eventually wanted out although some members enjoyed living in Jonestown. Since the compound was surrounded by miles and miles of jungle and encircled by armed guards, members needed Jones’ permission to leave. And Jones didn’t want anyone to leave.
Saved or not!
U.S. Representative Leo Ryan from San Mateo, California heard reports of bad things happening in Jonestown; thus, he decided to see whats going on for himself. He took along his adviser, an NBC film crew, and a group of concerned relatives of Peoples Temple members.
Everything seemed fine as they wine and dine until someone handed one of them a letter stating that persons wanted to leave but apparently were held captive. The following day it was announced that persons who wish to leave may do so when Rep. Ryan was leaving. Again things did not go as expected.
The attack at the airport
When it was time to leave, members who were leaving were placed on a truck whilst Ryan waited to ensure all who wanted to leave had left. He was then attacked by a
Peoples Temple member who failed in their attack and allowed him to escape on the same truck the others were on. The truck made it to the airport where the planes weren’t ready. As they waited an attack group arrived and kill them all in the process whilst injuring some. This took place on the tarmac of the airport.
Poisoned Punch/ Cool-aid
Meanwhile the incident occured at the airport, Jones ordered everyone to assemble in which he expressed dissatisfaction that some of his members had left. This left him with no other option than to speed up his plans. He insisted that they weren’t safe since Ryan was attacked and the government may retaliate killing them innocently. He urged them that suicide was the best way in saving themselves. When it was announced that Ryan was dead, Jones became more urgent and more heated. Jones urged the congregation to commit suicide by saying, “If these people land out here, they’ll torture some of our children here. They’ll torture our people, they’ll torture our seniors. We cannot have this.”
Jones told everyone to hurry. Large kettles filled with grape flavored Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid), cyanide, and Valium were placed in the open-sided pavilion.
Babies and children were brought up first. Syringes were used to pour the poisoned juice into their mouths. Mothers then drank some of the poisoned punch.
Next went other members. Some members were already dead before others got their drinks. If anyone wasn’t cooperative, there were guards with guns and crossbows to encourage them. It took approximately five minutes for each person to die.
On that day, November 18, 1978, 912 people died from drinking the poison, 276 of whom were children. Jones died from a single gunshot wound to the head, but it is unclear whether or not he did this himself.
Only a handful or so people survived, either by escaping into the jungle or hiding somewhere in the compound. In total 918 people died, either at the airport or at the Jonestown compound.
References
- https://www.thoughtco.com/the-jonestown-massacre-1779385
- https://www.britannica.com/event/Jonestown-massacre
- Main Image Credit: By Nancy Wong – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66016050
