Archived Site: Jonestown Survivor

Information Concerning this Archived Site

Source: https://jonestownsurvivor.com (Inactive)

This is the archive of a large website of articles and blogs published in conjunction with the book, Jonestown Survivor: An Insider’s Look. The book and all the material in this archive were written by Laura Johnston Kohl, a member of Peoples Temple who survived the tragedy in Jonestown by being in Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown on 18 November 1978.

Following the twentieth anniversary of the Jonestown tragedy, Ms. Johnston Kohl became a prolific writer and active public speaker, work she continued to do until shortly before her death on 19 November 2019. She also made herself available to family members of those who perished in Guyana and scholars who try to understand the calamity of the ending. Finally, she was a generous contributor of articles and remembrances for the Alternative Considerations site, all of which may be found here.

In the interest of preserving the information from her site for future generations of Jonestown scholars and researchers, the managers of this site obtained permission from Laura’s husband Ron Kohl to archive her work in its entirety. Both the archive and the book itself are published with his permission.

Jonestown Survivor Busy November 2018 Schedule

November 2018 Jonestown Survivor Activities These next two weeks are full of events related to Peoples Temple. Besides working full time in a 6th grade class, teaching English, I will finish up my CSUSM OSHER class in the Politics and Memories of Peoples Temple. On Saturday, I will fly up to Oakland to spend the day with friends and visit the Evergreen Cemetery. On Monday night, I will speak with students at Fresno Pacific University in the Mennonite Seminary classes. On Wednesday night, I will have a long phone interview with a Canadian radio station. I am trying to figure out ...

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JONESTOWN SURVIVOR Presents in Ohio

My Ohio Events - October 3-6, 2017 Tuesday 10/3 University of Cincinnati, hosted by Dr. Brian Metcalf 9:30 - 10:50 Brian Metcalf and Sara Speybroeck's classes from 9:30-10:50 in Swift Hall 500 11:00 - 12:20 Nancy Roger’s Class in Edwards 2:00 - 3:20 Valarie Hardcastle's class in McMicken 127 3:30 - 4:50 Nancy Roger’s Interpersonal Relations Class in Edwards Break 6:00-7:30 pm in Lindner Center 450 - Public Community Event   ZOAR HISTORIC COMMUNITY - Communal Studies Association Conference Friday, October 6 3-4:30 Session D-2 School (downstairs) Ronald Kohl, Moderator Laura Johnston Kohl University Presenter-Jonestown Survivor Peoples Temple - Change and the Chameleon that was Jim Jones Catherine Abbott University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin Racial ...

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Jonestown Survivor is Soliciting Guyanese Writers to Share Reflections of Jonestown

WHY a Guyana Section of the jonestown report? Laura Johnston Kohl I am delighted to share that I will be the Assistant Editor of the Guyanese Perspective section of the annual jonestown report, published by Fielding Mc'gehee and The Jonestown Institute. My journey to understanding Peoples Temple started with me looking through a microscope.at my life and my pain. Then, I widened out my view to include my fellow survivors, and a growing group of those also affected by the deaths and Peoples Temple. I gradually moved beyond the smaller circle into a more global understanding. When I returned to the United States in ...

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UPDATED JONESTOWN SURVIVOR SCHEDULE – Fall 2017-Spring 2018

Jonestown Survivor Fall 2017 to Spring 2018 Activities - Update September 12 Skype Interview with Polish Journalist Piotr Wloczyk of Historia Do Rzeczy, the largest Polish history magazine October 3 (Tuesday) University of Cincinnati 9:30-11 2 classes - Conformity and Obedience Psychology Class, Speybroeck’s class, and a Stats/Research Methods Class, my host Dr. Brian Metcalf’s class. 2-3:20 Psychology Class on Cognition and Learning, Room: McMicken 127, in Valerie Hardcastle’s room 6-7:30 Presentation Understanding Jonestown and Peoples Temple, “Lindner Center 450,” 2751 O’Varsity Way, Cincinnati, OH October 6 Presentations at Communal Studies Association at the Zoar Community October 19, October 26, November 2, November 9 and November 16, ...

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Jonestown Survivor is Editor of Guyanese Perspective Section of the Jonestown Report

[caption id="attachment_2073" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Evergreen Cemetery - Peoples Temple Panels[/caption]the jonestown report As a Jonestown Survivor, I am working on a very interesting project. The Jonestown Institute publishes (now on-line) a yearly "report" with writing from many sources about all things Peoples Temple. This year, I am editor of a "Guyanese Perspective" section. Over the past week, I have heard from about 150 Guyanese about their experiences with Peoples Temple in Guyana. It is fascinating! The articles will appear in the November issue of The Jonestown Report - take a look at last year's edition at: http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=67218 the jonestown report, Volume 18, November ...

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JONESTOWN SURVIVOR to Present in Zoar, Ohio at Communal Studies Association Conference

JONESTOWN SURVIVOR to Present in Zoar, Ohio at Communal Studies Association Conference Jonestown Survivor will participate in the Communal Studies Association Annual Conference in Zoar, Ohio. I am a Board Member of the CSA and have gained insight into my own experiences living in the communities of Peoples Temple and Synanon. I reflect and present about my evolution of understanding in these settings. THE THEME:  To succeed, grow and survive, all successful communal groups have had to adapt to changing situations, be they internal or external:   internal changes in their leadership, in their environment, and in their membership, as well as those ...

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JONESTOWN SURVIVOR – Current Schedule 2017-2018

Jonestown Survivor - Current Schedule  Currently, I am writing my 2nd book.  Additionally, I have these scheduled presentations: July 29, 2017 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm - I am attending: San Francisco’s Museum of African Diaspora White Nights, Black Paradise | A Screening and Discussion on Black Women, Peoples Temple and Jonestown   August 8 - Panelist 10:30-12 (as a Quaker) 2017 Poway Interfaith Team putting on a 2017 NAIN “CONNECT” Conference, San Diego   October 5-7 Presenter of two Scholarly Papers on Peoples Temple at Communal Studies Association Conference in Zoar Community, in Ohio 2017 Conference Theme: “To succeed, grow and survive, all successful communal groups have had ...

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JONESTOWN SURVIVOR Upcoming Class

Jonestown Survivor News - I have been asked to teach a 5-week OSHER Class here in San Diego. Here is the Course Outline:      Selected History of the 1960s and 1970s Laura Johnston Kohl, Jonestown Survivor and Author, will present a 5-week study of selected United States History from the 1960s and 1970s. Each class will focus on a different aspect of those two decades. -1st class will review US History, beginning with the 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks, including the assassinations of five inspiring leaders in the 1960s, and ending in 1970. -2nd class will review the struggles for different national communities to gain ...

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Museum of African American Diaspora Hosts New Jonestown Study

Jonestown Survivor will join many other survivors in the Bay Aeea plan to attend this event: White Nights, Black Paradise | A Screening and Discussion on Black Women, Peoples Temple and Jonestown When: July 29, 2017 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Cost: $10 General | $5 Students/Seniors | Free MoAD Members CONVERSATION FILM SCREENING PANEL DISCUSSION On November 18, 1978, more than 900 people died in a mass murder-suicide at the Peoples Temple Settlement in Jonestown, Guyana. Although the majority of the Jonestown massacre victims were black women, nearly four decades since the tragedy black women’s voices remain marginalized in Jonestown literature. Based on ...

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JONESTOWN SURVIVOR Feedback from CSUSM OSHER Students

JONESTOWN SURVIVOR California State University OSHER Class feedback: Did this course meet your expectations? Satisfied – 5 Dissatisfied – 0 Neither – 0 Comments:  Always wondered what a hippy turned out to be as an adult.  Excellent personal experience presentation  It was a very compelling presentation, the fact that the speaker knew all the facts from experience made it very interesting study of human nature.  It was a very interesting lecture  historical significance, well presented What subject areas would you like to see implanted in our program?  More historical subjects

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