EXTREMIST
Jim Jones
1931 - 1978

Jim Jones
James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) 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 which he described as “revolutionary suicide”, in his remote jungle commune at Jonestown, Guyana on November 18, 1978, including the assassination of U.S. congressman Leo Ryan. Jones and the events that occurred at Jonestown have had a defining influence on society's perception of cults. As a child, Jones developed an affinity for Pentecostalism and a desire to preach. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Jim Jones is the 49th most popular extremist (down from 37th in 2019), the 1,258th most popular biography from United States (down from 779th in 2019) and the 18th most popular American Extremist.
Jim Jones was a cult leader who lead his followers to commit mass suicide in 1978.
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Among EXTREMISTS
Among extremists, Jim Jones ranks 49 out of 283. Before him are Issei Sagawa, Peter Kürten, Nedeljko Čabrinović, George Habash, Nathuram Godse, and Joseph Kony. After him are Sawney Bean, William Kemmler, Abu Nidal, Mohamed Atta, Butch Cassidy, and Pavlik Morozov.
Most Popular Extremists in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsIssei Sagawa
1949 - 2022
HPI: 69.48
Rank: 43
Peter Kürten
1883 - 1931
HPI: 69.46
Rank: 44
Nedeljko Čabrinović
1895 - 1916
HPI: 69.31
Rank: 45
George Habash
1926 - 2008
HPI: 69.27
Rank: 46
Nathuram Godse
1910 - 1949
HPI: 68.95
Rank: 47
Joseph Kony
1961 - Present
HPI: 68.86
Rank: 48
Jim Jones
1931 - 1978
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 49
Sawney Bean
1600 - 1600
HPI: 68.72
Rank: 50
William Kemmler
1860 - 1890
HPI: 68.67
Rank: 51
Abu Nidal
1937 - 2002
HPI: 68.58
Rank: 52
Mohamed Atta
1968 - 2001
HPI: 68.45
Rank: 53
Butch Cassidy
1866 - 1908
HPI: 68.23
Rank: 54
Pavlik Morozov
1918 - 1932
HPI: 68.21
Rank: 55
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1931, Jim Jones ranks 59. Before him are Viktor Korchnoi, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Hamilton O. Smith, Michael Lonsdale, Caterina Valente, and Takashi Takabayashi. After him are Richard Rorty, Hiroto Muraoka, John Robert Schrieffer, Faten Hamama, Ettore Scola, and Syukuro Manabe. Among people deceased in 1978, Jim Jones ranks 33. Before him are Jomo Kenyatta, Houari Boumédiène, Hasso von Manteuffel, Sisavang Vatthana, Charles Best, and Harold Lasswell. After him are Tamara Karsavina, James B. Conant, Herta Oberheuser, Shozo Tsugitani, József Bozsik, and Nazli Sabri.
Others Born in 1931
Go to all RankingsViktor Korchnoi
CHESS PLAYER
1931 - 2016
HPI: 69.66
Rank: 53
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
POLITICIAN
1931 - Present
HPI: 69.65
Rank: 54
Hamilton O. Smith
BIOLOGIST
1931 - Present
HPI: 69.52
Rank: 55
Michael Lonsdale
ACTOR
1931 - 2020
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 56
Caterina Valente
SINGER
1931 - 2024
HPI: 69.12
Rank: 57
Takashi Takabayashi
SOCCER PLAYER
1931 - 2009
HPI: 68.87
Rank: 58
Jim Jones
EXTREMIST
1931 - 1978
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 59
Richard Rorty
PHILOSOPHER
1931 - 2007
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 60
Hiroto Muraoka
SOCCER PLAYER
1931 - 2017
HPI: 68.76
Rank: 61
John Robert Schrieffer
PHYSICIST
1931 - 2019
HPI: 68.66
Rank: 62
Faten Hamama
ACTOR
1931 - 2015
HPI: 68.51
Rank: 63
Ettore Scola
FILM DIRECTOR
1931 - 2016
HPI: 68.21
Rank: 64
Syukuro Manabe
PHYSICIST
1931 - Present
HPI: 68.21
Rank: 65
Others Deceased in 1978
Go to all RankingsJomo Kenyatta
POLITICIAN
1893 - 1978
HPI: 70.23
Rank: 27
Houari Boumédiène
POLITICIAN
1932 - 1978
HPI: 70.23
Rank: 28
Hasso von Manteuffel
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1897 - 1978
HPI: 70.23
Rank: 29
Sisavang Vatthana
POLITICIAN
1907 - 1978
HPI: 69.51
Rank: 30
Charles Best
PHYSICIAN
1899 - 1978
HPI: 69.28
Rank: 31
Harold Lasswell
POLITICAL SCIENTIST
1902 - 1978
HPI: 69.16
Rank: 32
Jim Jones
EXTREMIST
1931 - 1978
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 33
Tamara Karsavina
DANCER
1885 - 1978
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 34
James B. Conant
CHEMIST
1893 - 1978
HPI: 68.46
Rank: 35
Herta Oberheuser
PHYSICIAN
1911 - 1978
HPI: 68.44
Rank: 36
Shozo Tsugitani
SOCCER PLAYER
1940 - 1978
HPI: 68.29
Rank: 37
József Bozsik
SOCCER PLAYER
1925 - 1978
HPI: 68.28
Rank: 38
Nazli Sabri
COMPANION
1894 - 1978
HPI: 68.27
Rank: 39
In United States
Among people born in United States, Jim Jones ranks 1,258 out of 20,380. Before him are John C. Mather (1946), Wyatt Earp (1848), Robert E. Howard (1906), Raymond Moody (1944), E. O. Wilson (1929), and John Dickinson (1732). After him are Richard Rorty (1931), Neale Donald Walsch (1943), Oliver E. Williamson (1932), Vincent J. McMahon (1914), Mickey Rourke (1952), and Robert Vaughn (1932).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsJohn C. Mather
PHYSICIST
1946 - Present
HPI: 68.88
Rank: 1,252
Wyatt Earp
MAFIOSO
1848 - 1929
HPI: 68.87
Rank: 1,253
Robert E. Howard
WRITER
1906 - 1936
HPI: 68.86
Rank: 1,254
Raymond Moody
PSYCHOLOGIST
1944 - Present
HPI: 68.86
Rank: 1,255
E. O. Wilson
BIOLOGIST
1929 - 2021
HPI: 68.83
Rank: 1,256
John Dickinson
POLITICIAN
1732 - 1808
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 1,257
Jim Jones
EXTREMIST
1931 - 1978
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 1,258
Richard Rorty
PHILOSOPHER
1931 - 2007
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 1,259
Neale Donald Walsch
WRITER
1943 - Present
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 1,260
Oliver E. Williamson
ECONOMIST
1932 - 2020
HPI: 68.76
Rank: 1,261
Vincent J. McMahon
BUSINESSPERSON
1914 - 1984
HPI: 68.76
Rank: 1,262
Mickey Rourke
ACTOR
1952 - Present
HPI: 68.75
Rank: 1,263
Robert Vaughn
ACTOR
1932 - 2016
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 1,264
Among EXTREMISTS In United States
Among extremists born in United States, Jim Jones ranks 18. Before him are Albert Fish (1870), Machine Gun Kelly (1895), Frank Sheeran (1920), John Hinckley Jr. (1955), H. H. Holmes (1861), and Timothy McVeigh (1968). After him are William Kemmler (1860), Butch Cassidy (1866), Tex Watson (1945), Gary Gilmore (1940), Dennis Rader (1945), and Edmund Kemper (1948).
Albert Fish
1870 - 1936
HPI: 72.34
Rank: 12
Machine Gun Kelly
1895 - 1954
HPI: 72.17
Rank: 13
Frank Sheeran
1920 - 2003
HPI: 71.60
Rank: 14
John Hinckley Jr.
1955 - Present
HPI: 70.69
Rank: 15
H. H. Holmes
1861 - 1896
HPI: 70.65
Rank: 16
Timothy McVeigh
1968 - 2001
HPI: 69.60
Rank: 17
Jim Jones
1931 - 1978
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 18
William Kemmler
1860 - 1890
HPI: 68.67
Rank: 19
Butch Cassidy
1866 - 1908
HPI: 68.23
Rank: 20
Tex Watson
1945 - Present
HPI: 68.17
Rank: 21
Gary Gilmore
1940 - 1977
HPI: 67.63
Rank: 22
Dennis Rader
1945 - Present
HPI: 67.62
Rank: 23
Edmund Kemper
1948 - Present
HPI: 67.52
Rank: 24