Jim Jones

The Tragedy of the Century

If you can remember anything about November 18, 1978, you’ll probably remember Jim Jones and the Jonestown suicides. Jones’s childhood, the People’s Temple, and the development of Jonestown may all be causes for his power hungry nature and the terrible tragedy that occurred over two decades ago.
James Warren Jones was born May 13, 1931 in Lynn, Indiana. He had no brothers or sisters that are mentioned. His father was believed to be a Ku Klux Klansman. His father later left his mother Lynetta to raise Jones on her own (Vankin, 50 Greatest Conspiracies 1).
Jones was largely influenced by his mother’s teachings. She was very skeptical of church-like religion and the idea of a sky god, but she did have a very strong belief in spirits. She made sure to instill this belief in her son. He was also very influenced by his Pentecostal neighbor. She taught Jones that religion was a highly emotional experience. This understanding of G...