Jim Jones 'Let's die in peace'

"The world suffers violence, and the violent shall take it by force. If we can't live in peace, then let's die in peace."

'We didn't commit suicide'

"We didn't commit suicide, we committed an act of revolutionary suicide protesting the conditions of an inhumane world."

Jim Jones 'Life has No Meaning'

"I have twelve hundred people's lives in my hands, and I certainly don't want your life in my hands. I'm going to tell you, Christine, without me, life has no meaning. I'm the best thing you'll ever have."

Jim Jones Sound Clips

"Adults I call on you to stop this nonsense. I call on you to quit exciting your children when all they're doing is going to a quiet rest. I call on you to stop this now if you have any respect at all. Are we black, proud, and Socialist, or what are we? Now stop this nonsense. Don't carry this on anymore. You're exciting your children."

Brief Jonestown Timeline

Here is a brief timeline depicting the history of The People's Temple and Jim Jones' rise to it's throne. Courtesy of http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~reli291/Jonestown/Jonestown.html.

Timeline of the Peoples Temple

1956- Peoples Temple founded in Indianapolis as an integrated church combining evangelical, enthusiastic religion and loosely socialist politics. Jim Jones, the founder and pastor of the church, preformed healings which attracted many members. The congregation was predominately black.

1960- Jim Jones was appointed director of the Indianapolis human rights commission.

1961- The Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church, as it came to be called, became a part of the Disciples of Christ. Jones was ordained by that faith in 1964.

1965- Jones moved the Temple's headquarters to Ukiah, California, a city near San Francisco which he thought would be a safe haven in case of a nuclear war.

1967-1977

The People's Temple attracted more members and much favorable coverage in the press and from the political establishment as Jones himself and the Temple in general became more active in the community. Jones was even appointed to the San Francisco Housing Authority.

It was also during this time that some questions were raised by people outside of the group as to possible human rights violations within the group. the organization of concerned relatives was formed in response to reports of beatings and other punishments afflicted on members by Jones and the Temple's leaders.

It was also during this time that Jones decided to move his congregation to Guyana.

1978- By the end of 1977, more that 900 Temple members were in residence at the commune in Guyana. At the end of the day, November 18, 1978, 914 members had committed suicide.

This is a broader picture showing the final end result of Jonestown. Over 900 dead, many of them children, sprawled out all across Camp Jonestown.
























An up close shot of the Jonestown stage where Jim Jones would give his sermons. In the background Jones' sign reads Those Who Do Not Remember The Past Are Condemned To Repeat It. Jones is laying just beneath his 'throne'.























A Time magazine cover depicting Jonestown. In the foreground there is a tub of purple drink which contained the poison that Jones convinced his many followers to drink to 'set them free'. Notice the dead bodies littered up and down the walkway surrounding the poison.























Jones is shown here giving a sermon in San Francisco two years before the Jonestown massacre. It is clear that all of the followers are in awe of Jones and are attempting to be lucky enough to be able to touch the man they consider great.

Here is actual audio from Jim Jones' final sermon, just moments before the suicidal acts that took 900+ followers took place. While he does speak with a lisp, his message was no laughing matter. Until 9/11 this was the greatest single event as far as killing Americans goes.




This next video shows several short clips of film taken by the NBC camera crew that accompanied Leo Ryan into Jonestown. The repetitive music in the background was regularly played by Jones and the audio clip is taken from Jones' final suicide speech. The clips show to an extent what everyday life was like to members of The People's Temple, although the seemingly enjoyable exterior does nothing for the rough underbelly that was eventually exposed.




This video is a 2003 news reel commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Jonestown tragedy. It focuses at first on Jones, and how he came to be a cult leader in the jungle of Guyana, and then focuses on Congressman Leo Ryan, and his visit and eventual death at the Guyana airstrip.




Here are a few clips directly taken from the documentary "Jonestown: The Life and Death of People's Temple". Former members/survivors of the People's Temple talk about Jones' and the some of his sexual nuances as well as his master manipulative powers.