Jones massacre 1978

The Peoples Temple Massacre, also known as the Jonestown Massacre, occurred on November 18, 1978, in Jonestown, Guyana. Led by Jim Jones, the founder of the Peoples Temple, over 900 members of the cult died in a mass murder-suicide, one of the largest such events in modern history. Jones coerced his followers to ingest a cyanide-laced drink under the guise of revolutionary suicide, protesting the conditions of an "inhumane world." The tragedy also included the murder of U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan, who was visiting Jonestown to investigate human rights abuses, along with four others in his delegation. The Jonestown Massacre remains a stark reminder of the dangers of cult dynamics and charismatic leadership gone awry.