36th Annual Memorial Of Jonestown Mass Suicide Held At Oakland's Evergreen Cemetery
OAKLAND (KCBS)— On November 18, 1978 more than 900 people were ordered by cult leader Jim Jones to commit suicide in the jungles of Guyana, South America. Tuesday marked the 36th anniversary Jonestown Memorial held at the Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland.
About two-dozen people attended the annual memorial, many of whom were victim's relatives, including Jonestown Memorial founder Dr. Winona Norwood.
"36 years ago, my mother lost her life, which included 27 loved ones because they had a dream," she said.
918 people, including 305 children, many of which were from the Bay Area, died that day in Guyana where Jones promised his sect, 'Temple of People', a new community. It was the largest mass suicide in American history.
Peninsula Congressman Leo Ryan and three journalists who were there to help people leave were also shot and killed.
"We consecrate, we rededicate these sacred grounds in memory of those who were victims of bad religion," said Dr. Amos Brown, San Francisco NAACP president.
The remains of five victims recently found in a Delaware funeral home were buried at the Oakland cemetery last month.