Radclass - The Peoples Temple
(Part I)

Podcast Representation

Disclaimer - There is some explicit content, talking about violence, sexuality, and profanity, so please use discretion before listening to full episodes. The clips below have removed much of the questionable content.

Transmissions from Jonestown is a podcast series that explores the vast amount of audiotapes left behind from Jonestown. Click here for a link to every episode (as well as links to it on your favorite podcast platform). For Part I of this class, let's focus on Episodes 1 & 2.

Podcasts are a great way to learn information because you can multitask. One of my favorite things to do is listen to podcasts while walking. Maybe you'd like to try that out.
Click here for questions to think about while listening!
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Reframing Jonestown - Many people know the broad strokes of what happened at Jonestown, but this podcast suggests we're overlooking something important: human agency.
The People of the Peoples Temple - Some recordings of members introducing themselves.
Politics & Religion - A look at the intersection of politics & religion at the start of the Peoples Temple.
Jim Jones, Revolutionary - Quick description of how progressive & politically active Jim Jones was.
Psychedelic Mind Control - ​Jim Jones was aware of the government's experimentation with mind controlling substances, and he believed they would be used to control oppressed people.
Creating Power - ​Jim Jones utilized the counter-culture to organize people in the Bay Area to consolidate political power.
Creating Paradise ​- ​Jim Jones moves nearly 1,000 people to South America to create his utopia, Jonestown.
Never Paradise ​- ​From the beginning, Jonestown never lived up to it's utopian ideals. This is a quick exploration of some of the early negatives.
Revolutionary Suicide​ - ​Listen to one of Jim Jones's followers relay a message he wrote in response to accusations of human rights violations in Jonestown.

Visual Representations

This is an 11 part documentary by ABC News. For this week, watch as much of the first five parts (about 45 minutes) as you want. Investigation: Discovery has another great documentary, but you need to sign in with your cable provider. 

The Sacrament (Rated R) is a fictionalized account that has been released as a "found-footage" style horror movie. If you decide to watch that, think back to our conversation on our assumptions surrounding cults, and what taught us those assumptions.

Part II: The Day It All Happened

Audio Representation (Podcast):

Disclaimer - There is some explicit content, talking about violence, sexuality, and profanity, so please use discretion before listening to full episodes. 

Transmissions from Jonestown is a podcast series that explores the vast amount of audiotapes left behind from Jonestown. Click here for a link to every episode (as well as links to it on your favorite podcast platform). For Part II of this class, focus on Episodes 3 & 4 (though Keegan will be into Episode 5). I will not be making excerpts. These episodes are only for people who are interesting in this. 


Visual Representation (ABC):
Disclaimer - There is some explicit content, showing about violence and profanity, so please use discretion before listening to full episodes. 

These aren't even on YouTube. It's worth asking why.​Talk about & link to episodes 3 & 4 from the podcast. Don't make excerpts