Overview

People’s Temple was a religious community led by Jim Jones. Jim Jones began introducing the People’s Temple in the 1950’s as an independent congregation in Indianapolis. Jones was inspired by the idea of a society that would overcome the evils of racism and poverty. Most of the people who joined were African Americans, aligning with Jones' vision of an integrated congregation, even though Jones was white. The African Americans were seeking social justice through the framework Jones called “apostolic socialism.”

In the 1960’s, the People’s Temple was associated with the Christian Church. Jones was ordained into the church and, in 1965, was warned of a nuclear holocaust, and led the People’s Temple to Ukiah, CA. Between 1974 and 1977, the church was accused of financial fraud, physical mistreatment of members, and abuse of children in its care. In 1977, Jones led hundreds of members to Guyana, where they established a colony that grew to over 1,000 members. However, the group faced increasing scrutiny and accusations of a “cult-like” behavior, leading to an investigation by U.S. Congressman Leo J. Ryan.

On November 18, 1978, Leo J. Ryan visited Jonestown. The visit apparently “went well”; however, Ryan and those accompanying him, along with some of the members, expressed the desire to leave, and were murdered when they reached the airport to return to the United States. Shortly after, the mass murder-suicide that has been termed “revolutionary suicide” claimed the lives of over 900 people, including more than 250 children, who lost their lives either by being shot or taking poison. Most of the children were killed via cyanide-laced, grape-flavored Flavor Aid. Some members did resist committing suicide and were injected with fatal doses of cyanide, alongside infants. Other members survived by fleeing through the jungle. Jones, alongside his personal aide, Annie Moore, died of (likely) self-inflicted gunshot wounds.