# Jonestown #### (2022) - Alison Eldridge **Link**:: https://www.britannica.com/event/Jonestown **DOI**:: **Links**:: **Tags**:: #paper **Cite Key**:: [@Eldridge2022-nj] ### Abstract ``` Jonestown, (November 18, 1978), location of the mass murder-suicide of members of the California-based Peoples Temple cult at the behest of their charismatic but paranoid leader, Jim Jones, in Jonestown agricultural commune, Guyana. The death toll exceeded 900, including some 300 who were age 17 and under, making the incident one of the largest mass deaths in American history. Jones opened his first church in the mid-1950s in Indianapolis. At the time he was not affiliated with any particular denomination and had no theological training. His congregation was known for being racially integrated, which was particularly progressive at the time ``` ### Notes