Charles Manson and his Family

Charles Manson was born Nov. 12, 1934. Starting at the age of nine, he spent much of his life in juvenile reformatories or in prison for crimes that included petty larceny, armed robbery, burglary, and auto theft. 

After he was released from prison in 1967, he moved to San Francisco where he attracted a small, but devoted group of followers from among the city’s bohemian youth culture. In a year he had become the leader of the “family,” a very community based religious cult dedicated to studying and implementing his strange religious teachings, which were based on science fiction as well as occult and fringe psychology.

He spoke of a coming apocalyptic race war that would destroy the United States and leave the “family” in a position of dominant power.

According to Britanica, Manson’s power over his followers was brought to light in 1969, when they carried out a series of murders, by his orders. The most famous of which was actress Sharon Tate, who was killed in her Los Angeles home along with Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, and Steve Parent.