JONESTOWN SURVIVOR – Who am I Today?
Who am I today? I am a Jonestown Survivor and Author of JONESTOWN SURVIVOR: An Insider’s Look. I travel around the country speaking at universities and colleges, at conferences, at libraries, and in many other venues, about Peoples Temple and Jonestown - that horrific event that took place 38 years ago. I speak about many related issues. Sometimes, in these venues, people ask me why I don’t “move on.” I thought I would fill you in on the complete picture of who I am. I am a wife of 34 years, a mother of a brilliant 27-year-old son/teacher, a retired teacher, a ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR Visits Salt Lake City
Please share my Salt Lake City Events with any friends you have in the area: Tuesday, October 4 Event: I'll teach an Osher Class about Peoples Temple in the Historical Perspective of the 1970s - U of Utah 5:15-9:15 Wednesday, October 5 Event: resentation at PMt Olympus Center 12:30-2:45 1635 E Mercury Holladay Road, SLC Friday, October 7 - Communal Studies Association Conference Event 1: Opening and then: Panel B – Boundaries and Millennialism in Separatist Communities Church History Museum Library Chair: Marc Rhorer, Florida Atlantic University Laura Johnston Kohl, Jonestown Survivor and Former Synanon Resident: “Jonestown – Was it a ‘Millennial’ ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR Writing for Jonestown Report
I am excited, and determined, this week to finish up two articles for THE JONESTOWN REPORT (November 2016 on-line edition). One article will be a review of Eusi Kwayana's A NEW LOOK AT JONESTOWN, from the Guyanese perspective. I love Eusi and his wife Tchaiko, who have been mentors (to me and to my son Raul) over the years as I tried to be a teacher who opened my students' eyes to the "REAL" history taking place all around us. I get to re-visit his book and all the reasons I felt enriched after reading it, as it evolved before being ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR – What’s Going On?
JONESTOWN SURVIVOR- What’s Going On? This has been a busy summer for me. I’ve traveled to Washington, D.C. (my birthplace), New York (my husband’s birthplace), San Francisco, Oakland, Visalia, Tijuana, and all over southern California. I have presented at libraries, senior centers, street fairs, and conferences. I have had a number of interviews related to my life (Peoples Temple, Woodstock, Black Panthers, and/or Synanon) for documentaries, newspapers, blogtalk radio, and research projects. When I am not taking care of that, I am an activist. I do work on making the world a more sane place for all of us. I am politically ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR Presents Communal Studies Association Conference Scholarly Paper October 5-8, 2016 in Salt Lake City
2016 Conference Theme: “Anticipating the End Times: Millennialism, Apocalypticism, and Utopianism in Intentional Communities” Presentations will be held concurrently in Church History Library (15 E. North Temple St.) or the Church History Museum (45 N. West Temple St.), in Salt Lake City. Friday, October 7 10;30-12 Panel B – Boundaries and Millennialism in Separatist Communities -Devin Manzullo-Thomas, Messiah College: “‘Unity in Diversity’: Negotiating Communal Boundaries in the Brethren in Christ Church, 1930-1950” -Laura Johnston Kohl, Jonestown Survivor & Former Synanon Resident: “Jonestown – Was it a ‘Millennial’ Intentional Community?” -Tim Hoxha: “Mormon Millennialism: An Evolving Vision for a Christian Society” Saturday, October 8 1:30-3 Panel D – 20th ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR Fall 2016 Activities
Jonestown Survivor News - Fall 2016 8/23 - Tuesday at 11, I will be interviewed on a blogtalk radio for Advocacy Heals U, on W4CS, W4WU, W4HC and 8/23 - Tuesday at 5, I will be interviewed on another blogtalk radio program for Reallife Realfaith at http:/www.blogtalkradio.com/realliferealfaith In October, October 4, I will teach an Osher Lifetime Learning Class at U Utah October 7, I will present a scholarly paper on Peoples Temple (Anticipating the End Times: Millenialism) at the Communal Studies Association Conference in Salt Lake City. In December, December 14, at 6:30, I will present at Mission Hills Library in San Diego. There are a few other ...
» continue readingJonestown Survivor Interview for Visalia Times Delta
I was interviewed by a newsman from the Visalia Times Delta about my book JONESTOWN SURVIVOR: An Insider's Look, when a good friend Janet Nichols Lynch wrote a fictional book, and dedicated it to me. Here is the link: http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/…/local-authors-…/87574256/ Local authors write about cults, childhood Three recently published books, each by a local author, makes for absorbing late summer reading. VISALIATIMESDELTA.COM
» continue readingJonestown Survivor Presentations Fall, 2016
JONESTOWN SURVIVOR Presentation Schedule for August-December, 2016 7/29 Wednesday, 7 p.m. Twinbrook Library, 202 Meadow Hall Drive, Rockville, Md Jonestown Survivor Presentation with Power Point and Photos 8/15 Monday, 10:30 San Bruno Senior Center 1555 Crystal Springs Road. San Bruno, CA 94066 10/5-6 Wednesday and Thursday, OSHER Classes at 5:15-7:15 at University of Utah, Looking at Peoples Temple in its Historic Perspective 10/7 Friday, JONESTOWN SURVIVOR Presents on Anticipating the End Times: Millennialism, Apocalypticism, and Utopianism in Intentional Communities at Communal Studies Association, Salt Lake City, Utah 12/14 Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Mission Hills Public Library, 925 West Washington Street, San Diego, CA 92103
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR – Going Home to Twinbrook (Rockville), Maryland Library
JONESTOWN SURVIVOR NEWS: I AM SO DELIGHTED! I am going back to Rockville, Maryland, in a few weeks. Even though I made my plans a bit late to schedule events, I contacted my childhood library in Twinbrook, and I will be speaking in the tiny enclave in Rockville. I will be presenting in the Twinbrook Library on Wednesday, June 20 - where I lived each summer from 1st-12th grades. I am so DELIGHTED!
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR AT BAY AREA BOOK FESTIVAL 2016
JONESTOWN SURVIVOR AT THE BERKELEY BAY AREA BOOK FESTIVAL I hosted an author’s table this weekend (June 4 and 5, 2016) at my second Bay Area Book Festival. I set up a table with photos of Peoples Temple. I had an aerial photo of Jonestown in 1978, which shows how much hard work we put into creating the community. I had photos of the Evergreen Cemetery tombstone and the newer panels listing the names of all of those who died in Guyana. I had photos of some of the ceremonies and gatherings we survivors have held over the years. And, ...
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