Journalist, Jonestown Murder Victim. Overcoming racial prejudice to become a news cameraman, Brown was a 12-year veteran working for NBC news in Los Angeles. In 1978, Congressman Leo Ryan announced he was going to Guyana to investigate Rev. Jim Jones and his People's Temple settlement, Jonestown. Brown was recruited to be part of an NBC news crew that would film the trip, despite having had premonitions that it would result in his death. Arriving in Guyana on November 14, the group was not be able to enter Jonestown until November 17. Once there, Brown filmed the settlement as well as an interview between NBC anchorman Don Harris and Rev. Jim Jones. The next day, Ryan's party and several Jonestown defectors were organizing to leave Guyana at the Point Kaituma airstrip when they were attacked by armed Temple gunman. Originally standing near the tail of one of the aircrafts, Brown immediately moved forward and started filming. He continued to film even as he was wounded and, shortly afterwards, executed by the attackers. Congressman Ryan, Don Harris, photographer Greg Robinson, and Jonestown defector Patricia Parks were also killed during the attack, while Jim Jones and over 900 of his followers committed suicide later that same day. His footage from the trip was later recovered and is remembered as the final images of a failing Jonestown and Rev. Jim Jones. The Bob Brown Memorial Scholarship for Journalists at San Francisco State University was established in his honor.
Journalist, Jonestown Murder Victim. Overcoming racial prejudice to become a news cameraman, Brown was a 12-year veteran working for NBC news in Los Angeles. In 1978, Congressman Leo Ryan announced he was going to Guyana to investigate Rev. Jim Jones and his People's Temple settlement, Jonestown. Brown was recruited to be part of an NBC news crew that would film the trip, despite having had premonitions that it would result in his death. Arriving in Guyana on November 14, the group was not be able to enter Jonestown until November 17. Once there, Brown filmed the settlement as well as an interview between NBC anchorman Don Harris and Rev. Jim Jones. The next day, Ryan's party and several Jonestown defectors were organizing to leave Guyana at the Point Kaituma airstrip when they were attacked by armed Temple gunman. Originally standing near the tail of one of the aircrafts, Brown immediately moved forward and started filming. He continued to film even as he was wounded and, shortly afterwards, executed by the attackers. Congressman Ryan, Don Harris, photographer Greg Robinson, and Jonestown defector Patricia Parks were also killed during the attack, while Jim Jones and over 900 of his followers committed suicide later that same day. His footage from the trip was later recovered and is remembered as the final images of a failing Jonestown and Rev. Jim Jones. The Bob Brown Memorial Scholarship for Journalists at San Francisco State University was established in his honor.
Bio by: G.Photographer
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