33 Facts About Kasim Reed

Mohammed Kasim Reed was born on June 10,1969 and is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 59th mayor of Atlanta, Georgia's state capital and largest city, from 2010 to 2018.

Kasim Reed served as campaign manager for Shirley Franklin's successful Atlanta mayoral campaign in 2001.

In 2014, Kasim Reed announced his marriage to Sarah-Elizabeth Langford; two months later, the mayor's office announced the birth of the couple's daughter.

On June 10,2021, Kasim Reed declared that he was seeking another term as Atlanta's mayor in the 2021 election.

Kasim Reed's family moved to Fulton County, Georgia, when he was an infant.

Kasim Reed's father had considered converting to Islam and named his son Mohammed Kasim, to the consternation of his minister grandfather.

Kasim Reed graduated from Fulton County's Utoy Springs Elementary School and Westwood High School, now Westlake High School.

Kasim Reed attended Howard University in Washington, DC, graduating in 1991 with a degree in political science.

Kasim Reed disagreed with their action, saying there was nothing wrong with having the Republican Party try to win the votes of black students.

An early entrepreneur, by 1989 Kasim Reed made $40,000 running a jewelry business which he started at age sixteen.

Kasim Reed earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1991.

Kasim Reed earned his Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law in 1995.

In 2002 Kasim Reed was appointed as the youngest general trustee to serve on Howard's board of trustees and continues to serve on that board.

Kasim Reed ran a re-election campaign in 2000, when he was challenged by Clarence Canty, the son of Henrietta Canty.

Kasim Reed served as a member of the House Judiciary, Education, and Congressional and Legislative Reapportionment Committees.

When Kasim Reed first ran for election in the 35 state senate district in the 2002 Democratic primary, it included 19 precincts in Douglas County, Georgia, and 333 in Fulton County.

Kasim Reed ran unopposed in the November 2,2004 general election, and he ran unopposed in his 2006 and 2008 primary and general elections.

In January 2006, Kasim Reed introduced a bill to authorize scholastic teaching of the textbook The Bible and Its Influence by the non-partisan, ecumenical Bible Literacy Project.

Kasim Reed serves as vice-chairman of the Georgia Senate Democratic Caucus.

Kasim Reed has served the Georgia Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as its chairman.

In March 2008, Kasim Reed announced an exploratory committee, named ONE Atlanta, to investigate his viability as a candidate in the 2009 Atlanta mayoral election.

The New York Times described the race as too close to call with 98 to 99 percent of the votes counted and Kasim Reed leading by only 620 of the 84,000 votes cast.

Kasim Reed praises Reed as "combining a soft touch with a hard head".

Kasim Reed announced his campaign for re-election as mayor on August 26,2013.

Kasim Reed was elected to a second term on November 5,2013.

In February 2017, Kasim Reed fired the city's chief procurement officer after two city contractors pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges.

Kasim Reed served as one of Governor Sonny Perdue's floor leaders in debates that led to the ratification of the current version of the state flag.

On May 21,2009, Kasim Reed caused controversy in Atlanta's LGBT community when he stated that he supported civil unions for gays, but not gay marriage.

In December 2012 Kasim Reed announced his support for marriage equality for same-sex couples.

In January 2015, Kasim Reed fired Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran following Cochran's self-publication and distribution of a book without permission from Kasim Reed or the city's Ethics Department.

Kasim Reed said that the passage of the referendum would add jobs and alleviate congestion in the city, while "failing to pass the measure would be economically damaging" for Atlanta.

Kasim Reed was selected as one of Georgia Trend magazine's "40 under 40 Rising Stars" in 2001, one of "10 Outstanding Atlantans" in Outstanding Atlanta, a member of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2000, and a board member of the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund.

In 2017, the Atlanta Hawks retired the jersey number 59 in honor of Kasim Reed who was involved with the team throughout his tenure.