Nelson Mandela
By: Sergio Martinez and Isaiah Rodriguez
His Life
Nelson Mandela was born into royalty in 1918. His father was a chief of a tribe called Thembu. Since during Mandela's childhood he faced discrimination he became a lawyer and decided he he would try his hardest to fight against discrimination. Mandela joined the African National Congress which worked for political change. In 1948, white South Africans elected the National Party to power. The party enforced apartheid—the legal separation of whites and blacks. Mandela encouraged blacks not to accept apartheid. Blacks should make their own freedom as much as possible, he said. Accepting the status quo was a defeat. Mandela's efforts got him arrested for treason, but he was acquitted after a long trial. Mandela continued to fight apartheid as a member of the ANC, which the government banned in 1960. In 1964, he was arrested again, this time for participation in an illegal organization and for treason. The court sentenced Mandela to life imprisonment. In 1990, the South African government finally responded to international pressure and released Mandela. The activist became leader of the ANC. By this time, the government was more flexible, and Mandela was able to work with leaders to end apartheid. For their efforts, Mandela and President F.W. de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize. Now that apartheid was a thing of the past, blacks were free to vote and run for office. On May 2, 1994, Mandela became South Africa's first black president. While in office, he helped create a new constitution that guaranteed rights and freedom for all.