The Peoples Temple, originally known as Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church, was a new religious organization in the United States that existed from 1954 to 1978. Founded by Jim Jones in Indianapolis, Indiana, it was initially affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The Peoples Temple delivered a unique message that blended Christian teachings with elements of communist and socialist ideologies, with a strong emphasis on racial equality. After relocating to California during the 1960s and establishing various centers, including its headquarters in San Francisco, the group cultivated ties with left-wing political figures and claimed to have as many as 20,000 members, though more realistic estimates suggested a membership of 3,000 to 5,000.

The Peoples Temple is most notorious for the tragic events that unfolded on November 18, 1978, in Guyana. In a remote settlement called "Jonestown," 909 people perished in a catastrophic mass suicide and mass murder. These horrifying events were accompanied by the murders of U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and members of his delegation at the nearby Port Kaituma airstrip. The Jonestown tragedy marked the largest single loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act until the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Consequently, both scholars and public perception commonly categorize the Peoples Temple as a destructive cult, largely due to the events that transpired in Guyana.