American cult leader, founder of the Peoples Temple (died 1978)

Jim Jones

James Warren Jones was an American cult leader, preacher, and mass murderer who founded and led the Peoples Temple between 1955 and 1978. Jones and the members of his inner circle planned and orchestrated a mass murder–suicide that resulted in the deaths of over 900 people including 304 children, which he described as "revolutionary suicide", a term coined by Huey P. S. congressman Leo Ryan.

Born

1931

May 13

Died

1978

Era

1930s

Country

—

About

Jim, in brief

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Life timeline

Key dates

1931 Born
1978 Died

Also on May 13

What else happened on this day, through history

535 Election of pope Agapetus I following the death of pope John II earlier that month.
1110 Baldwin I of Jerusalem captures the city of Beirut from the Fatimid Caliphate with the help of a Genoese fleet.
1344 A Latin Christian fleet defeats a Turkish fleet in the battle of Pallene during the Smyrniote crusades.
1373 Julian of Norwich has visions of Jesus while suffering from a life-threatening illness, visions which are later described and interpreted in her book Revelations of Divine Love.

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The world in 1931

When Jim arrived

april 14 The Second Spanish Republic is proclaimed and King Alfonso XIII goes into exile. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Francesc Macià proclaims the Catalan Republic.
april 17 After negotiations between Catalan and Spanish provisional governments, the Catalan Republic proclaimed in April 14 becomes the Generalitat de Catalunya, the autonomous government of Catalonia within the Spanish Republic.
august 24 Resignation of the United Kingdom's Second Labour Government. Formation of the UK National Government.
august 5 Judge and Nazi Party member Werner Best drews the Boxheim Documents, which described a violent takeover of the government by the NSDAP.

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Same-day contemporaries

Also born on May 13

Andrea Leadsom 1963– English politician Bruce Chatwin 1940–1989 English-French author (born 1940) Charles Watson-Wentworth 1730–1782 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, English politician, Prime Minister of Great Britain (born 1730) Juan Bautista Ceballos 1811–1859 former president of Mexico (born 1811) Lena Dunham 1986– American actress, director, and screenwriter Pusha T 1977– American rapper Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo 1699–1782 1st Marquis of Pombal, Portuguese politician, Prime Minister of Portugal (died 1782) Siobhan Fallon Hogan 1961– American actress Stevie Wonder 1950– American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer

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Same-year contemporaries

Also born in 1931

Albert DeSalvo 1931– American serial killer known as the Boston Strangler (died 1973) Alex Delvecchio 1931–2025 Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager (died 2025) Allen Klein 1931–2009 American businessman and music publisher (died 2009) Bernard Francis Law 1931– Mexican-American cardinal (died 2017) Bob Johnson 1931–1991 American ice hockey player and coach (died 1991) Buddy Ryan 1931–2016 American football coach (died 2016) Cardiss Collins 1931–2013 American politician (born 1931) Cecil Parkinson 1931–2016 English politician (born 1931) Chalmers Johnson 1931–2010 American scholar and author (died 2010)

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More to explore

Jim's birthday May 13 Jim's zodiac Taurus When Jim arrived 1931