Fire Chief Wins $1.2 Million Case Against Atlanta for Firing Him for Religious Beliefs

Kelvin Cochran grew up in Louisiana with one goal in life:  to become a firefighter. He realized that dream in 1981 in his native Shreveport. He rose through the ranks, and in 1999 became the fire chief there, the first African-American to serve in that capacity. In 2008, he was appointed fire chief for the city of Atlanta, and a year later President Barack Obama tapped him for the position of U.S. fire administrator. In 2010, Mayor Kasim Reed encouraged him to come back to Atlanta and re-

Kelvin Cochran grew up in Louisiana with one goal in life:  to become a firefighter. He realized that dream in 1981 in his native Shreveport. He rose through the ranks, and in 1999 became the fire chief there, the first African-American to serve in that capacity. In 2008, he was appointed fire chief for the city of Atlanta, and a year later President Barack Obama tapped him for the position of U.S. fire administrator. In 2010, Mayor Kasim Reed encouraged him to come back to Atlanta and re-assume…