EE-3-B1 – B2
Letter from Clara and Rusty Johnson, February 28, 1978, to family members in Jonestown
Joann, Janice, Joyce & Tommy Johnson, Eloise Sneed & Syola Turner. 2-28-78
Hello Johnsons, Sneed, & Turner,
I didn’t write last week because I was almost certain that I would be there at this time. However, it won’t be long now before I am re-united with Jim, all of you, Terri & the rest of the family there. I just gave up the garage on 2nd Ave. and only have papers and reports to complete and pack more books and a few last minute things.
Rusty is fine. He will stay with Sandy Bradshaw & Hue Fortson in SF until he can come over.
It would help so much if you, Eloise, would write one or two of the boys every week. They were beginning to become a little more positive but not hearing from you has caused them to become extremely hostile. I told them I had received a letter from you last night & immediately, they sounded better. Maybe, it would just be best to pretend that you just mightvisit this week. It’s easier that way. (smile)
Also, they are extremely concerned about the children’s education so stress that and always mention Syola. Please get her to write Mabel & Earl C. Just tell them whatever you think they want to hear.
Of course I always support our leader & our cause but I just pretend to really miss them & etc. I’ll tell you more when I see you. But please, please, write every week. This is so important.
Patrick, Steve, Ceasar [Caesar], Emily and everyone said hello! Tell Gloria Walker to write her sister, Phyllis Talley. Phyllis’s mother is Fayrene Douglass. She should also write.
Well, it won’t be long now. Jim [Tom?] said hello. It’s raining hard now so he won’t be here to help me pack tonight.
Peace,
Clara Johnson & Rusty Johnson (L.A.)
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EE-3-V2 – V3
Note from unknown person to her partner in US
Monday night
United Airlines
Hi love.
I miss you already!! I certainly wished you would have come with me to see “our” daughter. As you know, she considers you her father, so she states. Darn it! I was intending to bring a picture of you to her. I forgot. Speaking of forgetting, believe it or not, I forgot my credit cards and driving license, darn it! I knew I would forget something important. Anyway, I’m hoping everything else will be okay. I’m sure that it will.
I am a companion to 2 older women from San Francisco. They are going to live in Guyana permanently. One is about 78 years old. Guess what she said as the plane was taking off? She said “Goodbye USA and kiss my big, fat, black —.” When she said that I thought I would croak, I laughed so hard inwardly, I almost fell out! It was funny to hear someone who has lived as long as she have in SF to say such!! Anyway, we are about halfway to N.Y. Well, you know I cannot expect her to do a lot of walking she is real fat too. I’m not really responsible for her but she needs someone to kinda look after her. There goes my touring of New York. Oh well, maybe some other time, (probably never) but it’s ok. I guess you really can’t miss something you’ve never been exposed to or really never had.
Well, I’ll close just a note to let you know I was thinking of you and wishing you were here.
“Me”
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Letter to stateside family member from unknown Jonestown resident
EE-3-BB-1 – BB-2
Dear Harold,
After landing in a paradise in the midst of a jungle, it’s difficult to gear my mind back to the states – and painful, too, cuz god-knows I was unhappy there with conditions as they are. But I think of you & worry for you & hope to hear from you that things are looking bright for you by now…
Let me tell you a little about my new life in Jonestown… We arrived (29 of us) after 40 hours on our boat down the most gorgious river imaginable, lined with tropical jungle bush on either side, spotted with occasional “troolie” houses made of jungle’s own wood, earth & plants. Like something out of a fairy tale! The rains are so refreshing, one doesn’t even want to take cover– And they are short and the sun pops out again to dry you off. We arrived at Port Kaituma at dusk and were met by some of our people in a large truck which we rode in back under a full moon & stars the likes of which you can’t see in the city. We took a windy dirt road several miles until we reached Jonestown. It was really like coming home. We were met by hundreds of hugs – people we hadn’t seen in years and some who had recently left us – all of us are so glad to be in a free country, on land we own & in a town we built ourselves…
I can’t explain the feeling of relief to enter a black nation & leave the pressure of racist & sexist America behind, to know that I don’t have to kiss up to “the man” anymore or be abused on the job.
Here I am, a nursery school teacher. Our children are creative, bright & so happy with a fantastic future ahead of them. Imagine the potential of a child that can grow up in an atmosphere of love & acceptance with every opportunity open for them for learning; no doors closed to them because they are black or brown, none of the pain of being called a “nigger,” none of the continuous abuse from all sides