What Was the Largest Mass Suicide
The largest mass suicide is widely considered to be the mass death at Jonestown, Guyana, in November 1978, where over 900 people died.
What Happened at Jonestown
Members of the Peoples Temple, led by Jim Jones, relocated to a remote settlement in Guyana. In November 1978, following a visit by U.S. congressional aides, a violent incident occurred at the nearby airstrip, after which Jones ordered a mass poisoning in the settlement.
Why It Matters
The event is often cited in studies of mass movements, group psychology, and crisis response. It has influenced academic research on cult dynamics, media coverage of large-scale tragedies, and U.S. policy toward remote communities and religious groups.
For background on the investigation and aftermath, see the History.com overview of the Jonestown massacre.
