Full Name: Mr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Date of Birth: July 18, 1918
Place of Birth: Mvezo, Mthatha district, South Africa
Classification: Leaders & Revolutionaries
Nelson Mandela is one of the world's greatest and most admired historian leaders and has been honored with numerous awards including the Nobel Peace Prize for he is a shining example of the incredible strength of the human spirit to persevere in the face of adversity for the pursuit of freedom.
Nelson Mandela was born in a small South African village to a local chief and his third wife. He was the first person in his family to receive a western education, and was inspired to study law after witnessing the democracy of African tribal governance at an early age. Mandela became a sought after lawyer in Johannesburg, defending black South Africans against the government's increasingly unfair treatment, and a key figure of the African National Congress, a political party that sought to unite all Africans and regain their rights and freedom. He participated in boycotts, organized protests, mobilized his people and in turn was labeled an enemy of the state: accused of treason, banned from political involvement, disbarred, and sentenced to life in prison. Mandela's incarceration brought international attention to the racial injustices of South Africa's apartheid government sparking the rally cry "Free Nelson Mandela" worldwide.
Mandela served 27 years in prison before his release in 1990 at the age of 72 and was elected the first black President of South Africa in 1994. Although he retired from political life in 1999, Mandela continues to lend his voice towards issues that affect his country and the world at large, such as the AIDS epidemic, poverty, and human rights. He was also instrumental in securing South Africa as the host of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Short Milestones of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela is born on July 18th in the Mvezo village in South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope Province. He is of the Madiba clan, and a member of the Thembu people of the Xhosa nation. His father Gadia Henry Mphakanyiswa, a former government appointed chief of Mvezo, names him Rolihlahla,
1923
After moving to the village of Qunu, north of Mvezo, he becomes a herd-boy, looking after sheep and cattle, and learns to sling–shot, stick–fight and gather honey and fruits.
1925
At seven years old, he becomes the first in his family to attend school, receiving a British education and a new British name — Nelson.
1927
His father dies and his mother moves him to Mqhekezweni, a mission station of the Methodist Church, where Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo becomes his guardian.
He attends church, listens to chiefs and councilmen hold tribal meetings. He continues his education at the Clarkebury Boarding Institute in the district of Engcobo, then the Healdtown Wesleyan College in Fort Beaufort, a mission school of the Methodist church southwest of Umtata, and the University College of Fort Hare in the municipality of Alice, east of Healdtown.
1941
While on break from college, he runs away to Johannesburg, to avoid an arranged marriage. He briefly works as a night watchman at a gold mine, then takes a job as a clerk at the law firm Witkin, Sidelsky and Edelman in Alexandra while studying for his B.A. by correspondence course at the University of South Africa.
1942
Graduates from the University of South Africa.
Begins attending the African National Congress (ANC) meetings, a nationalistic group that aimed to unite Africans and establish a democratic form of government.
1943
1944
Helps form the ANC Youth League, a group intended to underscore and mobilize the ANC. Marries Evelyn Mase; their son Madiba is born two years later.
1947
Finishes his tenure at the Witkin, Sidelsky and Edelman law firm and continues his studies towards a law degree full time.
His daughter Makaziwe is born, but dies nine months later. A second daughter is born in 1953 and again named Makaziwe.
1950
After the racially segregating “apartheid” rule is implemented in South Africa the previous year, Mandela participates in the organization of the National Day of Protest on June 26th.
His second son Makgatho is born on the day of the protest.
1951
Works at the law firm of Terblanche and Briggish, then Helman and Michel before taking his qualification exams to work as a full–fledged attorney at H.M. Basner.
1952
Opens his own law practice In Johannesburg with his friend and fellow ANC member Oliver Tambo. It is the first black law practice in Johannesburg and they become renowned for fighting injustice and protecting the rights of the African community.
1954
1956
Arrested at his home in the early morning of December 5th for high treason. Soon after, almost the entire executive leadership of the ANC is arrested and imprisoned for weeks. Their treason trial drags on until 1961.
Mandela and his wife Evelyn separate after he is released from jail and divorce the following year.
1958
Marries Nomzamo Winifred “Winnie” Madikizela, a social worker at Baragwanath hospital in Soweto on June 14th. Together they have two daughters: Zenani, born on February 5th 1959, and Zindziswa born on December 23rd in 1960.
1960
The South African government declares a state of emergency after police fire on a crowd of protestors in Sharpeville killing at least 69 people and wounding hundreds, sparking national turmoil.
Mandela is arrested under the state of emergency on March 30th. He is released at the end of August but still remains on trial for treason.
1961
Acquitted of treason on March 29th and immediately goes “underground”, and lives in hiding. He meets and plans protest with the ANC and leads the decision to form a military group called Umkhonto we Sizwe (The Spear of the Nation), but referred to as MK.
1962
Mandela is arrested on August 5th after living on the run for over a year, and sentenced to life in prison after a two–year trial. He is accused of sabotage and conspiracy against the country and ordered to serve the majority of his sentence on Robben Island off of the coast of South Africa.
1980
The campaign to release Mandela from prison begins as the headline "Free Nelson Mandela" appears in a March edition of the Johannesburg Sunday Post along with a petition calling for the release of Mandela and other political prisoners.
1990
1992
Divorces his wife Winnie. Appears in the final scenes of Spike Lee's 1992 film “X” about the life of American black, nationalist Malcolm X.
1993
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for working towards “the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime,” and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa"
1994
Elected as the 11th president of South Africa in the country's first “national, nonracial, one-person-one-vote” election and is inaugurated on May 10th. Publishes his autobiography “Long Walk To Freedom”.
1998
Weds Graca Machel, widower of a former president of Mozambique, on July 18th, his 80th birthday.
1999
Retires as President of South Africa. He is diagnosed with and treated for prostate cancer the following year.
2003
Hosts the 46664 Concert (named after his prison number) in Cape Town aimed at bringing awareness to HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The concert stars Beyonce, Bono, Youssou N’Dour, and many other notable musicians.
2007
The Nelson Mandela Bridge
