Johnnie Cochran: Attorney

Children's Literature - Janice DeLong

Skyrocketed to fame by the successful defense of O.J. Simpson, Johnnie Cochran is one crowning achievement of his hard-working, upwardly mobile ancestors, share-cropper grandfather Alonzo Crockrum and valedictorian father, Johnnie. The value of education, the strength of family, and religious faith have played significant roles in the positive achievements of generations of the Cochran family. The landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision argued before the Supreme Court by Thurgood Marshall inspired Johnnie to pursue a career in law, and on January 10, 1963, he began work as a city attorney. His new career coincided with the devastating Watts riots. The blazes that lit the sky during the racial upheavals became metaphorical of the powerful defenses and prosecutions that have become Cochran's signature. Building clients from California to New York, the one-time television partner of Nancy Grace organized the Cochran Firm, a racially diverse organization, with offices stretching across the country. With wealth and position, the famous lawyer and his wife found ways to give back to the needy, and he indeed became an advocate for the people. This highly readable volume is part of the "Black Americans of Achievement Legacy Edition" series.