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Peoples Temple Collection; Box 9, Virtual item 28, Q210-B- Jones reads news, lists names for classes

 Digital Record
Identifier: ms-0183_09.28B

Dates

  • Digitized: October 24, 1978

Creator

Summary Note

Jim Jones reads the news. He speaks slowly and deliberately throughout the broadcast, and has difficulty summoning words. At times, his voice slurs into incomprehension. He may be tired, or he may be incapacitated by illness or drugs. The tape recorder periodically picks up the voice of an unknown young woman, who softly reads a few words or a phrase at a time, which Jones then repeats. He realizes his difficulty, even if he doesn’t confess it. On the contrary, early in the tape – even as the recorder picks up the voice coaching him through a news item – he says his deliberation is out of respect for some of Jonestown’s residents. “I’m trying to read slower for you that require, you say, not so fast reading.… I will try to slow down to meet your need.” He repeats the reason later, then adds, “And sometimes this machine makes it slower yet.” When the issue comes up a third time, he says it’s hard the radio and simultaneously report it. 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.

Physical Description Note

Original audio cassette tape recording digitized and made available as .mp3 audio file.

Publisher Note

Publisher: The Jonestown Institute

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections & University Archives Repository

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