Jonestown: The Birth of Peoples Temple
On November 18th, 1978, over 900 people died at an American settlement in the jungle of Guyana called Jonestown. In this first of two episodes, we are going to find out how they ended up in South America.
Who was the eponymous Reverend Jim Jones, notorious leader of the cult? What did the Peoples Temple believe in? How and why did they make the journey from Indiana to California to Guyana?
Don is joined by author and scholar Annie Dawid, who has spent over two decades researching Peoples Temple.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
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All music from Epidemic Sounds.
American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.
American History Hit
Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.
We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the British, see Walt Disney accuse his former colleagues of being communists, and uncover the dark history that lies beneath Central Park.
From pre-colonial America to independence, slavery to civil rights, the gold rush to the space race, join Don as he speaks to leading experts to delve into America’s past.
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- No. of episodes: 281
- Latest episode: 2025-05-08
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