In the 1970s, against a backdrop of political upheaval and national anxiety, a charismatic pastor and self-proclaimed “miracle worker” named Jim Jones moved the headquarters of his nascent religious organization, Peoples Temple, to San Francisco. He billed it as a progressive, inclusive sanctuary for those who believed in racial equality, Christian teachings, and socialist ideology. Attracting a congregation of thousands of believers — the majority of whom were Black Americans — Jones promised his flock safety, belonging, and a path toward a more just world. In exchange, he demanded absolute loyalty. As media scrutiny and allegations of abuse mounted, he decided to move the Peoples Temple to a rural area in Guyana, painting it as a utopian refuge from American racism and political violence. Instead, Jonestown became the site of one of the deadliest mass murders in American history: Jones forced his congregation, which included children and elders, to ingest cyanide-laced punch under armed guard. The tragedy, which led to the death of over 900 people — the largest loss of American civilian lives prior to 9/11 — has been distorted as a “mass suicide,” diminished by the cliché of “drinking the Kool-Aid.”
From Emmy-nominated director J.M. Harper (As We Speak) comes a three-part documentary series about the events and ideas leading up to the Jonestown massacre, featuring never-before-seen archival materials along with interviews from dozens of survivors and former Peoples Temple members, many of whom have never before spoken publicly about their experiences. The documentary will also include firsthand accounts from Jim Jones’s son, Stephan Jones, bringing necessary perspective to a story that’s been misunderstood for decades.
Produced by Luminant Media, the series is executive produced by Brian Knappenberger, J.M. Harper, Rachel Libert, and Clare Tucker.
Check back here for more information about the upcoming documentary, including its release date.
