2018 Fall Schedule for Jonestown Survivor August I will finish the first draft of my 2nd book, finish writing my articles for the jonestown report, finish packing up my Peoples Temple documents and memorabilia for my donation to University of Southern Indiana Communal Studies Program, and take care of some health issues. September 7th - 9:30-12:30 SDSU OSHER Orientation (Introduction to Fall OSHER Classes) 13th - Western Connecticut State University, Danbury Connecticut - visit classes 13th - 3 p.m.-5 p.m WCSU Midtown campus, Public Presentation White Hall Bldg, Ives Auditorium 14th - Brookfield Theater, Art Gallery Exhibit with Beth Houghtaling: Opening of Jonestown: What Flavor Are ...
» continue readingApproaching the 40th anniversary of Jonestown on November 18, 2018, things are heating up. Just in the past few months, I have had interviews with media and documentary crews every few weeks. I am often contacted to provide more information for the 2200+ photos I have added to the flickr.com Peoples Temple Photogallery. This week, NBC contacted me. The premier source of Peoples Temple research and information is on the "Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple" website - created by the Jonestown Institute based at SDSU. (https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/) There are other things in the works as well. A fellow survivor, Jordan Vilchez, and ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR Update and News for Summer and Fall: The highlight of my Spring 2018 was my return visit to Guyana and Jonestown, after 40 years. I traveled with my husband and son, another surivivor, and three other dear friends. Here at home, I had numerous university presentations and interviews with documentary filmakers, authors, and other media. In the last month, I have been approached by middle school students and media for interviews. This summer, I have a Book Group talk, a presentation at Taste of Osher at CSUSM-Murrieta, several more interviews, and I will pick up working on my second ...
» continue readingJonestown Survivor hosted a table at the Bay Area Book Festival for the fourth year in a row. On April 28 and 29, 2018, I traveled up to Berkeley from San Diego. I hosted a table for two days, refreshing people's memories about Peoples Temple and Jonestown. I now always carry a large sheet of the faces from Peoples Temple. I feel like my friends accompany me wherever I go. While I was at the Book Festival, several of my dearest Peoples Temple friends and other friends stopped by. It is always a highlight for me to mingle with both Peoples ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR visited Arkansas Tech University in April, 2018. This is the site posted on the Arkansas Tech University website by the awesome Sherry Tinerella, the Public Services Librarian at the Ross Pendergraft Library & Tech Center on campus. It has wonderful information: http://libguides.atu.edu/jonestown
» continue readingIn 1978, 918 people died at the hands of cult leader Jim Jones, but Laura Johnston Kohl lived to tell By Francisca Jones This article was published April 14, 2018 at 4:30 a.m. PHOTO BY SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Jonestown survivors Laura Johnston Kohl (left) and Jordan Vilchez pause at the grave in Guyana devoted to the 918 people who lost their lives on Nov. 18, 1978. Johnston Kohl recounted her experiences as a member of Peoples Temple and her visit last month to Guyana during “Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid: Advice from a Jonestown Survivor” at Arkansas Tech University on April 5. Laura Johnston Kohl’s Guyana ...
» continue readingtranscript of our TV interview was published in Guyana Times Sunday April 8, 2018, in my column 'Preserving our literary heritage Preserving our literary Heritage by Petamber Persaud The Burgeoning Jonestown Bookshelf (extract of a conversation with Laura Johnston Kohl and Jordan Vilchez, Guyana, March 2018, both are back in Guyana on the 40th anniversary of the Jonestown episode. Kohl has already published one book on Jonestown with another forthcoming while Vilchez is preparing two books for young adults.) PP No one book can account for a people’s history. Parts of our history are still stored in diaries and memoires and in foreign archives. ...
» continue readingToday's article in the Starbroek News, by Shabna Rahman. Here is the complete article: Jonestown survivors in emotional trip to Port Kaituma By Shabna Rahman Laura Johnston Kohl (left) and Jordan Vilchez at the tombstone in Jonestown that was built in honour of the victims The two survivors of the Jonestown tragedy who recently revisited the scene and relived memories of what they once called home,’ are looking to have renewed a personal friendship with Guyana. Laura Johnston Kohl, 70, and Jordan Vilchez, 60 of the USA are planning to return in December, along with some other survivors to conduct a “free book giveaway” in ...
» continue readingAs a Jonestown Survivor, I was interviewed for a YouTube program for this program: an AfterWords to our Believers and Nonbelievers episode on “The Differences Between Cult and Religion.” The first link was the orignal discussion, which I was unable to participate in. The second link is my interview. Here are the two links: https://youtu.be/mY_F1RhtQBw https://youtu.be/W5zVOat-CZ0
» continue readingJonestown Survivors Revisit Jonestown As a member of Peoples Temple for seven years here in the United States, I moved to Guyana in March, 1977. March seems to be my month for moves. I moved from Connecticut to California in March 1970. Then, I left California for Guyana in March of 1977. I lived in Guyana - in both Georgetown and Jonestown. When my wonderful friends and adopted family members, and others, died on November 18, 1978, I happened to be living in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. Within weeks of that horrific event, most of the survivors living in Georgetown ...
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