Q373 Summary

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.

To read the Tape Transcript, click here. Listen to MP3 (Pt. 1, Pt. 2).
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FBI Catalogue: Jones speaking

FBI preliminary tape identification note: Labeled in part “History”

Date cues on tape: Likely December 1977 (references to recent deaths of Chris Lewis and Lynetta Jones)

People named:
Public figures/National and international names:

 
Temple members not in Jonestown:

 
Jonestown residents, full name unknown:

 
Jonestown residents:

 
Bible verses cited:     None 

Summary:

Jim Jones reads from a somewhat-dated book about the history, climate and physical geography of Guyana. While there is some crowd noise and one or two interactions with people in it, Jones does not deviate significantly from the text before him, and his own editorial content focuses on how much the country has improved under a socialist government since the writing of the book, and in particular, how much the own community exemplifies that progress. There are only a handful of times when he specifically relates what’s going on in Jonestown to the reading.

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 6/18/79

In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.

On June 4, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B93-106. This tape was found to contain the following:

A lesson on the history of Guyana presented by JIM JONES and also some classical music.

Differences with FBI Summary:

The summary is accurate and meets the FBI’s purposes.     

Tape originally posted May 2022.