Jonestown survivor Laura Johnston Kohl to speak on campus Feb. 23

As part of its programs in cultural history and the study of religion, the Liberal Studies Department is hosting a talk by Laura Johnston Kohl, author of "Jonestown Survivor: An Insider's Look," Thursday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. in Old Main 482. 

Jim Jones, the founder of the Peoples Temple and the orchestrator of mass deaths in Jonestown, Guyana, on Nov. 18, 1978, stands as an emblematic "cult leader" in American culture. 

Kohl was a member of Peoples Temple and lived in Jonestown, but she survived the tragedy. Her work there brought her into frequent contact with Jim Jones, giving her a special capacity to comment on the cult of personality in leaders.