Peoples Temple Collection; Box 13, Virtual item 3, Q313 - Jonestown meeting discusses Ryan's arrival (November 10, 1978)

Digital Record

Identifier: ms-0183_13.03

Staff Only

Digital Object (mixed_materials)

Go to file

Dates

Digitized: 11/10/1978

Creator

Peoples Temple (Organization)
Jones, Jim (Jones, James Warren) (Person)

Summary Note

Recorded a week before the arrival of Rep. Leo Ryan’s party in Guyana in November 1978, this tape is of a community in crisis. The people of Jonestown know the delegation is coming, and that it will be filled with the relatives whom Jim Jones has been lambasting for months, with members of the press, and with representatives of the U.S. government. No one knows how long their enemies will be in Guyana, whether they will be able to get into Jonestown, or what the community would do if the unwelcome guests appear. Jim Jones is alternately concerned, perplexed, angry, and defiant. The snatches of conversation with the residents of Jonestown, including Marceline Jones – Jones spontaneously edited the tape with the on/off switch on his microphone, and many responses are cut off after a few words – reveal a weariness and apprehension in reaction to their perceptions of threat, both external and internal. Full summary of the recording available at Alternative Considerations of Jonestown website, along with the tape transcript.

Rights Statement Note

The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.