Group Seeks to Protect Legacy of Victims of the Jonestown Massacre

Dr. Jynona Norwood is on a lifelong mission. The mission is one that is written in the blood and spirit of her own relatives, many of whom died in the infamous Jonestown Massacre 32 years ago. I’ll let Dr. Norwood tell the story in her own way, but the massacre went down in history as the largest group of African Americans to die in one incident since slavery. Whites died in the massacre also, but most of those who died were black. Dr. Norwood is seeking to erect a memorial to remember the scores of children who died alongside their parents in this horrific incident, but is encountering resistance. Among the most insulting requests that have been made is that the name of Jim Jones be put right alongside the victims. Personally, I find this to be simply unacceptable. The interview with Dr. Norwood is below:

What is your name and what is your cause?

My name is Dr. Jynona Norwood, Founder of the Jonestown Memorial Services/Guyana Tribute Foundation and Cherishing the Children Memorial Wall. My family was Jim Jones’ first black family to join his church in San Francisco. Although a few relatives and I refused to join, our family lost 27 loved ones including my mother and the youngest child to perish- a 3-month-old cousin. My cause is to raise public awareness about the Cherishing the Children Memorial that has been put on hold because Evergreen Cemetery’s owner, Mr. Buck Kamphausen has made a decision not to honor the letter of commitment that he gave to us- the families, survivors and victims of Jonestown. Mr. Kamphausen instructed a liaison from Mayor Frank Jordan’s office and I to pay their vendor $30,000 as a first installment for the long awaited wall. Additionally, Evergreen Cemetery has decided to add Jim Jones’ name and celebrate him as a victim alongside the 305 children that he murdered. There are 40 three and-a-half foot caskets that have been laid to rest in the mass gravesite at the top of the hill. It is important to note that most of the victims in the mass gravesite are children because they couldn’t be identified, as there weren’t many dental records available.

Can you give a brief background on what happened at Jonestown?

Thirty-two years ago, Jim Jones cemented himself in history by becoming the most prolific mass murderer in American history. He promised a Utopian society where there would be better schools, racial equality and no sexism. He lured hard-working, good families to Jonestown with a lie. When members of the Peoples Temple got to Guyana he put them in the fields to work and more and more they felt like they were slaves captured and isolated. In Guyana dissent was not tolerated. There were frequent beatings for transgressions; He punished the children by dropping them in black holes and had snakes dropped in- one of my 14-year-old cousins was killed in this manner. Additionally, Jim Jones’ voice rang through loud speakers morning, noon, and night with his rage filled rants.

When parents were not allowed to speak to or see their children who were taken there, Congressman Leo Ryan was contacted by one of his constituents to take a delegation of reporters and relatives to Guyana to investigate. He was told that many of his constituents’ loved ones were being held against their will. The visit was tense at first, and then for a moment, it smoothed out. But when word got to Congressman Leo Ryan that some of the members wanted to defect, the mood changed. Congressman Leo Ryan and his group were ambushed on the way to the airport and he and several members of his group were killed or severely injured including my friend Beverly Oliver whose sons had been taken without her permission.

Later that evening Jim Jones assembled his congregation together, with his armed guards by his side, and ordered them to drink Flavor-aid fruit punch laced with potassium cyanide, valium, phenergan, and chloral hydrate or be shot. He had gunmen surrounding them. Jim Jones committed an inexplicable act of evil when he ordered that everyone die and horrifically he ordered to, “Kill the babies first.” Many people were shot trying to escape and others were injected with the poison against their will in their upper backs. However, 32 years later we still do not know the whole story on how these innocent, beautiful people died.

What are some things about the massacre that most of the public does not know? Some people believe that it was a mass suicide…How do you respond to this misconception?

All I am asking people to do is listen to the tapes and if you cannot find them go to my website where you will hear innocent children and families screaming and running. There are still certain members of Jones church that are on a mission to make sure that the truth does not come out because they want to make you believe Jim was a wonderful man. If you cannot locate the tapes go to my website: www.INNOCENTCHILDRENARENOTRESPONSIBLE.org. Some will try to make you think that all the victims willfully took the poison when they were forced. If you have a gun pointed at your head and someone orders you to drink cyanide laced punch or get shot, how can that be suicide?

Jonestown was a devastating tragic event in our history that has never been healed and America needs healing, Guyana needs healing, and the world needs healing. The victims, loved ones, friends, our nation and world needs to be healed because Jonestown was the first major tragedy that people watched in their living rooms and this is why America needs healing. The process of that healing begins when people become aware of many of the facts that have never been brought out. And when facts come out it is a possibility that this could never happen again. Jonestown will be resolved when the truth comes out, not misinformation. Take the stigma and shame away. There has been a stigma surrounding this tragedy, wherein religion and belief have become mixed up with manipulation and politics. The church was blamed and the church did not kill my family, Jim Jones did. The victims and families of the victims were blamed and shamed and the truth is, Peoples Temple was made up of good, earnest people who desired equality and security for themselves and their families. Jim Jones promised them a utopian society, free from racial, sexual and political barriers. Who wouldn’t choose that?”

What are your challenges as it pertains to your memorial? Are you receiving any forms of resistance?

Yes, Evergreen Cemetery has chosen to work with Jim Jones’ former leaders and celebrate him by putting his name along side of the children he ordered to be murdered. It is said that Adolph Hitler caused the murders of over 1.5 million Jewish children and if you were to add his name to the Holocaust Memorial in memory of him, I, along with the world would be outraged. This is unacceptable and the Jewish community would not sit down and say, “It’s Ok, he was a victim of his madness.” Our brothers and sisters would come from the four corners of the world, join forces and pro-actively fight anyone who would desecrate the Memorial dedicated to the innocent children and loved ones who were gassed at the order of Hitler. Jonestown is the African American Holocaust and Jim Jones was our Hitler. I know that he has a family and I sympathize with them, but we will not honor, celebrate or remember the murderous name of Jim Jones.

Additionally, Evergreen had us pay their vendor and is now stating that they did not know the design or weight of the Memorial. They have deserted their vendor and the families by refusing the Cherishing the Children’s wall stating the above reasons. I have written legitimate proof that they knew exactly the size, weight and dimensions of the Cherishing the Children Memorial as early as two and a half years before any names were inscribed. I have legitimate written proof that Evergreen relied on their vendor to design the size and weight of the wall as far back as 1995. Evergreen has stated that it is too heavy and would cost too much to install. If that is true why did Evergreen have us pay $30,000 to their vendor and insist in 2008 and 2009 to pay the balance so that they could install the wall? However, as a result of the downturn in the economy we were not unable to raise the rest of the money nor was I able to secure a loan to get the remainder of the funds. I have my letter of commitment, a contract, and a canceled check and other legitimate documentation. If this issue is not resolved I may upon the advice of my counsel, seek legal action.

Is there any other information around this issue that the AOL Black Voices audience should know about?

The innocent 305 children did not choose to die. Please don’t be misinformed or tricked into the thinking that these people were crazy and that they were following a crazy white man, thus they got what they deserved! Nothing could be further from the truth. Jim Jones elevated himself to political and social favor by developing programs that the members worked hard to fulfill such as, assisting Bay Area citizens who were hungry, homeless and drug-addicted. He invited people of all backgrounds into his church. He befriended people of stature in politics, religion and entertainment. But, this was a cover for the un-savory activities later discovered, including murder and extortion. Had I accepted Jim’s offer to be his assistant youth pastor and had I listened to family, friends and powerful people who praised Jim Jones, my son and I would have perished in Jonestown.

My family was raising my son because I was a traveling Evangelist; therefore, I came off the road and kidnapped/rescued him to save his life. The 918 people of Jonestown did not choose to die. They were victims of manipulation, victims of a shrewd, egomaniacal power driven man. Jim Jones was a notorious child of Satan; he manipulated, tricked and seduced thousands of innocent people into his church with promises of safety, security, and peace. These people were loving, caring, close knit families who wanted equality, healthcare, and education. These innocent children died in terror and our families died in fear because there was one way in and no escape out.

Our loved ones regretted believing this liar who lured them in after taking everything that they owned and destroying their most valuable asset, their children. We can’t forget them, because they not only represent what was, but sadly, what still is until we extend understanding and grace. We need your help in honoring these innocent children. The monument company said that they can cut the wall in half if necessary. Stand with us in this battle by going to our website and signing your name on the petition. Meet us at the Rally that will take place in Oakland, CA at 10:30 AM, 6450 Camden Street with Dr. Dick Gregory, Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s office, Rev. Leonard Jackson former Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Los Angeles, NAACP, Rev. Eugene Lumpkin and many more. For more information visit: www.INNOCENTCHILDRENARENOTRESPONSIBLE.org

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To follow Dr. Boyce on Facebook, please click here.