Description
The collection consists of papers collected by
Donneter Lane concerning Peoples Temple and the 1978 Jonestown tragedy, the bulk of
which were generated by the Guyana Emergency Relief Committee (GERC) between the
years 1978 and 1980 and document the Committee's efforts to transport the
unidentified or unclaimed remains of Jonestown victims from Dover Air Base to
California for burial. Committee records include press releases, minutes, and
memoranda; correspondence between the Committee and various agencies, including the
United States Department of State; rosters of Jonestown victims and surviving family
members; and records of the San Francisco Superior Court proceedings,
Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ v. The Attorney
General of the State of California
. Also included are letters from
family members of victims to the Committee indicating family wishes regarding the
interment of loved ones or requesting reimbursement for burial expenses; and family
survivor contact cards, which document communication between the Committee and
family members and provide information about the status of burials.
Background
Donneter Lane was the Executive Director of the San Francisco Council of Churches.
With Rabbi Malcolm Sparer and Father John O'Connor, she was one of the principal
organizers of the Guyana Emergency Relief Committee, formed on November 28, 1978, to
coordinate an interfaith response to the deaths at Jonestown. In 1979, Lane and
other Committee members communicated with family members of Jonestown victims
concerning the interment of loved ones and reimbursement for burial expenses,
maintaining careful records of approximately 200 telephone calls and letters. She
continued to maintain the records of the Committee after its dissolution.The Guyana Emergency Relief Committee (GERC) was formed on November 28, 1978, by
members of the San Francisco religious community in response to the deaths of over
900 people at Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. Composed of representatives
of the San Francisco Council of Churches, the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and the
Board of Rabbis of Northern California, the Committee had a two-fold purpose: to
assist with the expeditious return of over 500 bodies from Dover Air Base, Delaware,
to California for proper burial; and to provide counseling, pastoral services, and
material assistance to grieving families.
Extent
4 boxes (3.4 linear
feet)
Restrictions
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials
must be submitted in writing to the Director of Library and Archives, North Baker
Research Library, California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco,
CA 94105. Consent is given on behalf of the California Historical Society as the
owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from
the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of
digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Availability
All researchers must sign the Peoples Temple Collections Access Agreement form. This
document is available at the reference desk or can be sent electronically.