In 1977-78, concerned family members contacted U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and federal agencies about alleged misconduct at the "People's Temple" commune in Guyana, which, led by Jim Jones, had moved there from Northern California. On November 14, 1978, Ryan arrived in Guyana, accompanied by journalists and concerned relatives, and spoke with Jones and his followers. A number of Jonestown members decided to return with Ryan to the U.S.
At the Guyana airport on November 18, 1978, members of the Jonestown group shot and killed Ryan and other members of his party, and wounded many others. This precipitated a mass suicide and murder of more than 900 cult members, most as a result of drinking a cyanide-laced punch. This is the origin of the term, "Drinking the Kool-Aid" - an unwelcome association for one of the storied brands of the 1970s. (Click here for this article in Spanish).
One of the members of Ryan's party was Jackie Speier, a 27 year-old aide who was shot five times and presumed dead. She survived a harrowing 22-hour wait for help on the tarmac. Later, she held seats in California's state assembly and senate, and, in 2008, she was elected as a U.S. Congresswoman from California, and won re-election two weeks ago.
As with all tragic events, extensive finger-pointing ensued after the Jonestown episode. Letters of Note, a site that we highlight each day on SweetSearch2Day, unearthed this February, 1978 letter from Harvey Milk to President Carter, in defense of Jim Jones and his work. Ironically, Milk was murdered just 9 days after the Jonestown tragedy.
On November 18, 1883, a proposal by a high school principal from Saratoga Springs, NY led to the creation of the Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones, plus the Intercolonial time zone in Atlantic Canada. At noon on November 18, the U.S. Naval Observatory adjusted its signals to reflect the new time zones. Crowds gathered near town clocks across the country to watch the clocks be changed. In many places where the time was moved back, it became known as the "day of two noons," while other areas "lost" minutes.
On November 18, 1836, William Schwenck Gilbert was born. One half of the legendary Gilbert and Sullivan duo, he had a knack for satire and an eye for staging comic operettas beloved to this day, including "The Pirates of Penzance" and "The Mikado." Gilbert coped with a difficult childhood with disagreeable parents and surmounted a period of indecision before launching himself into a renowned career writing for theater.
Highlights from SweetSearch2Day:
Interview of the day is with Wangari Maathai, 2004 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Earth Science Picture of the Day presages monsoons in Arizona.
Scholastic News covers the banning of McDonald's Happy Meal toys in San Francisco.
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