Nelson Mandela South African

Nelson Mandela 

He was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and the first Black president of South Africa.

Key facts

Born: July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, South Africa. Died: December 5, 2013

Known as: Madiba — his clan name, used as a sign of respect in South Africa

What he did

1. Anti-apartheid fight: In the 1940s he joined the African National Congress, ANC. Apartheid was the system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa. Mandela pushed for equal rights for Black South Africans.

2. Prison: He was arrested in 1962 and spent 27 years in prison, 18 of them on Robben Island. He was charged with sabotage and conspiracy. While in prison he became a global symbol of resistance.

3. President: Released in 1990. In 1994, after the first democratic elections, he became South Africa’s first Black president. He served one term from 1994 to 1999.

4. Reconciliation: Instead of revenge, he focused on national unity. He set up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address human rights abuses from the apartheid era.

Legacy

Nobel Peace Prize: Won in 1993 with F.W. de Klerk for peacefully ending apartheid and laying foundations for democracy.

Values: forgiveness, equality, human rights, and non-violence.

Global icon: His birthday, July 18, is celebrated as Mandela Day — people do 67 minutes of community service for his 67 years of public service.

Fun facts

He was a boxer and loved sports. He used rugby and the 1995 Rugby World Cup to help unite the country.

He studied law and was a lawyer before going full-time into politics.

His house in Soweto and Robben Island are now museums.

Mandela is remembered for turning decades of struggle into a message of reconciliation rather than division.