Jonestown in Guyana

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Recommended: Suicide in sociological perspective

Jonestown was a community built by Peoples Temple in Guyana that ended in tragedy with a death toll of 918 people. “Founded in 1956 by Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple accepted everyone into their church and focused on helping people in need. Jones originally established the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana, but then moved it to Redwood Valley, California in 1966. Jones had a vision of a communist community, one in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good.” (Rosenberg). In 1973, Jim Jones leased land in Guyana, South America for his dream community. Peoples Temple soon after sent out people to clear the land for homes and install fences for isolation.

Jonestown was named after their leader, the all powerful Jim Jones. Jones grew up in a poor family, and he told his followers that his family wasn’t as loving when he was a child and that they were lucky to have someone care for them like he did. He could speak like no other, and had full confidence even with his slight lisp that followed him into adulthood. He started Peoples Temple at a young age and soon had many followers. Everyone appreciated him for his community work, work in equality for African Americans, and his humble ways. Many people stated that the feeling of acceptance was blinding to what was really going on behind the scenes. Everyone thought that generous people had donated money to Jones for the community, but “elderly members handed over their Social Security checks, working adults gave 25 percent of their wages to the church and some signed over all their property.” (Unknown). The people who joined Peoples Temple gave up everything they owned, and gave their money to the Temple to fund it sparing a small amount of change to...

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...rt, and over 900 people with their whole lives in front of them in a good 10 minutes were dead. If 10 minutes and a little grooming is all it takes then who’s to say we won’t face this again? Then, again and again. Jonestown is a tragedy, but a lesson.

The bodies were shipped to Delaware, and they only did autopsies on 7 people. The bodies had been out in the sun so long they had started to rot. Most bodies identified didn’t get claimed, and many (mostly children) couldn’t be ID’d. Families were alerted, but many didn’t want to claim that their families were apart of this. Some said they were too embarrassed, or didn’t have the money to bury their loved ones. Those 408 bodies were buried in Evergreen cemetery, and after 33 years of waiting they finally built a memorial. “"People want be loved," Wilson (a survivor) said. "And taken care of."” (James).

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