Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was the first black politician to be elected president of South Africa. Before he became president, he was imprisoned for 27 years because he fought to abolish the apartheid system.
Childhood
Nelson Mandela was originally called Rolihlahla Mandela. He was born in 1918, the son of Henry Mandela. Henry Mandela was an advisor for the Thembu king. Rolihlahla was the first from his family to go to school. The white teachers did not want to use the black people’s African names, so his teacher called him Nelson, after Lord Nelson. When Nelson Mandela was nine years old, his father died, and after this, his upbringing was in the hands of the Thembu king.
Early Years
The Thembu king’s son, Justice, and Nelson Mandela became close friends. When he was 21, Nelson Mandela entered Fort Hare University. He was expelled because of his political work, but he got his law degree in 1942 at another university.
Political Career
In 1944, Nelson Mandela formed a youth league of the ANC together with some friends. He was against the government-enforced apartheid system, which segregated the races. In the beginning, they demonstrated non-violently, but later they used violence in their struggle for freedom and equality. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned several times. His last sentence was life imprisonment. He spent 18 years on Robben Island as prisoner 466/64. He was released in 1990. He was president from 1994-1999.
Facts
Nelson Mandela:
- Originally named Rolihlahla
- Born the 18th of July, 1918
- Activist against apartheid, and the leader of ANC
- Spent 27 years in prison
- Won the Nobel Prize in 1993
- Elected president of South Africa in 1994
- Passed away on the 5th of December, 2013
Personal Life
When the Thembu king announced that he had found wives for Nelson Mandela and Justice, they both fled to Johannesburg. Here, Nelson Mandela met his first wife, Evelyn. He has been married three times and has fathered six children. When he was imprisoned on Robben Island, he was only allowed to write and receive one letter every six months. When his oldest son, Thembekile, died in a car crash, he was not allowed to go the funeral. Nelson Mandela passed away on the 5th of December, 2013, aged 95, after months of hospitalisation.