ATLVault: June 3, 1962, the day Atlanta stood still

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On June 3, 1962, many of Atlanta’s civic and cultural leaders were returning from a museum tour of Europe sponsored by the Atlanta Art Association when their chartered Boeing 707 crashed upon takeoff at Orly Field near Paris, France.

Of the 122 passengers that died, 106 were Atlantans (eight crew members also died; two stewardesses sitting in the tail section survived). In an instant the core of Atlanta’s arts community was gone. Thirty-three children and young adults lost both parents in the crash.

Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. traveled to Paris to assist with the recovery efforts.

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Hala Moddelmog is the current president and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center, which was born out of that tragedy, 61 years ago.

ATLVault is a digital series of articles and podcasts that bring Atlanta’s history to life.

• ATLVault: May 8, 1886, the day Coca-Cola was first served
• ATLVault: Black police officers began patrolling Atlanta 75 years ago
• ATLVault: Oakland Cemetery is where Atlanta’s history is woven together
• ATLVault: Five Black Atlanta pastors and the U.S. Supreme Court
• ATLVault: Sweet Auburn gave birth to the American civil rights movement
• ATLVault: The legacy of Ebenezer Baptist Church
• ATLVault: The Atlanta Ripper terrorizes the city, 100+ years ago
• ATLVault: Bars, brothels and brawls dominated Atlanta’s first election 175 years ago.

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