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1919
May Otis Blackburn and her daughter, Ruth Wieland, arrive in Los Angeles, California. -
1920
Blackburn claims to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary, who tells her to start a new religious movement. She begins holding seances and recruiting followers. -
1921
Blackburn and her followers establish the Church of the New and Universal Dawn. They claim to be able to communicate with the dead and offer spiritual guidance and healing. -
1922
Blackburn's husband, a physician named Dr. Ernest Clarence "C.E." Blackburn, joins the cult and becomes its medical advisor. -
1923
A wealthy socialite named Emma LeDoux becomes a follower of Blackburn and donates a large sum of money to the cult. -
June 1925
A young woman named Mattie Lee Overstreet dies while undergoing a cult-mandated fast. Blackburn and several cult members are arrested and charged with manslaughter. -
November 1925
Blackburn is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison. Her daughter Ruth and several other cult members are also convicted and sentenced to prison. -
1926
The cult continues to operate without Blackburn, who is serving her sentence at San Quentin State Prison. -
1930
Blackburn is released from prison after serving five years. She and her daughter continue to lead the cult, which has been renamed the Divine Order of the Royal Arms of the Great Eleven. -
1934
Blackburn and Ruth are arrested again, this time on charges of mail fraud related to the sale of "miracle" cures. They are found guilty and sentenced to prison.
1941: Blackburn is released from prison after serving seven years. She and Ruth disband the cult and retire to a small apartment in Los Angeles. -
1951
May Otis Blackburn dies in her apartment at the age of 73.