Explosion at Orly: The Disaster that Transformed Atlanta

Chronicles the crash of a chartered Air France jet at Orly Airport in France, on June 13, 1962, killing all 132 passengers and crew on board, 106 of them from Atlanta, Georgia, and the impact this loss had on the city of Atlanta.

Ann Uhry Abrams was born in Atlanta and grew up in Druid Hills with her brother, the playwright, Alfred Uhry ("Driving Miss Daisy"). She attended Sarah Lawrence College, received a BA and an MA in history from Georgia State University, and a Ph.D in interdisciplinary studies from Emory University. Between 1975 and 1995, she taught American art history at Spelman College, Georgia State University, Agnes Scott College, and Emory University. In addition, she has lectured often at scholarly meetings, museums, and civic gatherings.

She is the author of "The Pilgrims and Pochontas: Rival Myths of American Origin" (Westview Press, 1999) and "The Valient Hero: Benjamin West and Grand Style History Painting" (Smithsonian Press, 1985). Her numerous articles on art and history include an essay on historical murals in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in "Picturing History: American Painting, 1770-1930" (Rizzoli, 1993). She was also co-curator for several exhibitions in 1986 celebrating the centennial of the Statue of Liberty.