Peoples Temple was involved in community affairs outside its relatively-isolated headquarters in Redwood Valley in the early 1970s, and issued press releases to let the media know about that involvement. Examples include:
- Redwood Valley, California… January 31, 1974, an announcement of $300 to each of several families of people recently slain in San Francisco (RYMUR 89-4286-I-1, pp. 203-204)
- “PEOPLES TEMPLE HUMAN SERVICE MINISTRY OFFERS $2000 TO MEET DEMANDS FOR PATRICIA HEARST,” February 13, 1974, the Temple’s offer of $2000 to help the family of Patricia Hearst secure her release from the Symbionese Liberation Army, which had kidnapped the newspaper heiress nine days earlier (RYMUR 89-4286-I-1, pp. 206-208)
- “CARAVAN OF HOPE” CROSSES AMERICA – PROCLAIMS
BROTHERHOOD AND COOPERATION AS CURE FOR NATIONS ILLS, a August 6, 1974 report of cross-country “Caravan of Hope” bus tour (RYMUR 89-4286-I-1, pp. 209-213)
In addition, Peoples Temple actively promoted itself with a vigorous public relations effort. Examples include:
- PEOPLES TEMPLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: AN EXTRAORDINARY MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES INSPIRED BY THE EXAMPLE OF PASTOR JIM JONES, a February 1, 1974 press release describing of its programs and listing of endorsements from community leaders (California Historical Society, MS 3800)
- PEOPLES TEMPLE – A DYNAMIC CHURCH THAT IS GROWING STEADILY BECAUSE IT TAKES ON THE CHALLENGE OF PUTTING PRINCIPLE INTO PRACTICE, an undated 1974 release demonstrating its “dynamic” works (California Historical Society, MS 3800)
- [Untitled] November 25, 1974 capsule review of its race relations during the previous year (California Historical Society, MS 3800)
- Fall 1975, “Temple Brotherhood at Disneyland” a travelogue of its excursion to Disneyland over Labor Day (California Historical Society, MS 3800)
- September 26, 1976, “Social Ministry for Social Justice”, a profile of Temple leader Jim Jones (California Historical Society, MS 3800)
- October 3, 1976 photo montage and captions (California Historical Society, MS 3800)
Originally posted on February 17th, 2013.
Last modified on October 20th, 2021.