Otis Cochran

1944 - 2020

COCHRAN, Jr., J. Otis J. Otis Cochran, Jr., 75, of Atlanta, GA died April 9, 2020 at Piedmont Hospital. He was born August 10, 1944 at Grady Hospital to John Otis Cochran Sr. and Sylvia Scott Cochran. Growing up in Vine City with his sisters Sylvia Carroll (Stockbridge, GA) and Alma Cochran (deceased), he graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. One of his fondest memories during high school was being able to visit Africa. He went on to attend Morehouse College. It was at Morehouse that Otis became very active in the Civil Rights movement. He marched, participated in sit-ins and went to jail numerous times. He decided to take a year off from college so he could devote his time and efforts full-time to the Civil Rights movement. This activism that manifested itself so strongly while at Morehouse continued throughout his lifetime as he always fought for civil rights, justice and equal opportunity. After graduating from Morehouse, he would earn his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School where he would also continue his activism. Otis would also subsequently earn a PhD from Columbia University in Political Science. He would begin a lengthy career in higher education as a lecturer at Yale, Vassar, and Princeton before a near decade long stint as a professor at the University of Tennessee Law School. From there he joined the David Dinkins administration in New York as the Director of Equal Employment Opportunity. He is survived by his sister Sylvia Carroll, nephew Che Barbour, and niece Aja Kweliona. He was predeceased by his sister Alma Cochran. A memorial service will be held at Westview Cemetery (Section 33, Lot 6) August 15, at 12 PM. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the NAACP in his name.