SPOTLIGHTS: NELSON MANDELA

SPOTLIGHTS: NELSON MANDELA

Mandela was born in Mvezo, South Africa in 1918. He was named Rolihlahla, means “troublemaker”. Mandela’s grandfather was the ruler of the Thembu people.

He was the first person in his family to attend school. He re-named Nelson. He went on to graduate from college and attend law school at University of the Witwatersrand (only black student in class).

By 1942, Mandela began attending meetings of the African National Congress (ANC), a revolutionary group whose aim was to fight apartheid

He helped found the African National Congress Youth League. He organized boycotts to fight for voting rights and equality for black South Africans. In 1956, Mandela and over 100 associates of his, were arrested for treason. They were all later acquitted.

The ANC was banned in South Africa in 1960. In 1964, Mandala was sentenced to life in prison for fighting apartheid. After spending 27 years in prison, he was released in 1990. Upon his release, he worked to repeal apartheid and stop the growing violence in South Africa. He also helped establish multiracial elections. For his work, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 (he shared the prize with with F. W. de Klerk, who was then the President of South Africa).

In 1994, South Africa held its first truly democratic, non-racial election and chose Nelson Mandela. Mandela championed reconciliation, the peaceful resolution of grievances after decades of repressive laws against black South Africans.

He published his autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom,” in 1994. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed in 1995. He served as President until 1999. His second book, “Conversations with Myself,” was published in 2010.

Freedom Day, celebrated on April 27 each year, commemorates the anniversary of South Africa’s first real democratic elections.

Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95. He will be remembered as one of the greatest peace-makers and statesmen of all time.

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