Nelson Mandela
The leader to freedom
Nelson Mandela's Childhood
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18th 1918. He was born in Mvezo in South Africa, he was also part of the Xhosa tribe. He was spoken very highly and thought to be a great leader one day. Nelson Mandela's real name is Rolihlahla Mandela . Nelson Mandela started primary school in 1925 when he was 7 years old. The Primary school was near qunu and that's where he received the name Nelson because the teacher thought the name Rolihlahla was to hard to pronounce.
Nelson Mandela's Early Adulthood
At aged 18 nelson mandela starts college at Fort Hare University and the University of Witwatersrand where he studied law. in 1939 he entered school at Fort Hare University he was expelled because he was involved in a student protest, then Nelson Mandela moved to the University of Witwatersrand . After finishing his degree in 1944 Nelson Mandela the co-founds ANC the African National Congress he was elected National secretary of the youth league, also that year marrying his wife Evelin Ntoko.
Apartheid
In 1948 apartheid started this is where the blacks were separated from the whites. The government had put this rule in because they thought whites were more superior, this rule was also put in to discriminate the blacks and thats when Nelson Mandela came in and took action.. When this government law started blacks still didn't really have a say in the government because the government where all Afrikaners who are white south africans, Black people didn't have very good jobs either because whites had dominance over blacks. Nelson Mandela was unhappy about this law and started peaceful protests and a campaign of civil disobedience to promote democracy for the country . In 1952 He opened the first black law firm with his friend Oliver Tambo who also got expelled at Fort Hare University. In 1956 Nelson Mandela was one of 156 people suspected of high treason. in 1958 he marries his second wife Winnie Madikizela. In 1961 Nelson Mandela becomes more violent in his Protests and the ANC come and help. In 1964 Nelson Mandela was sent to the Rivonia Trial when his lawyer says before the trial to not say the quote "I am prepared to die" because the lawyer thought he was going to get hanged. Instead of " I am prepared to die" Nelson Mandela said "if need be I am prepared to die" Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison for political sabotage and high treason. In 1964 he was sent to Robben Island a maximum security prison. Robben Island 8km away from johannesburg and secures people like politicians, protesters, Asians, Indians and. On Robben island people are separated into factions. there were probably 4 factions and they never got to see each other unless they were doing hard labour. Messages used to be sent around in the in the black peoples porridge if any prisoners heard anything weird was happening after eating their breakfast they would read the message and then rip it up so it couldn't be seen again. In 1982 Nelson Mandela was transferred to another prison called pollsmoor prison and spent the rest of his 9 years there. In 1990 Nelson Mandela was released from prison after spending 27 years there.
The End Of The Long Walk
In 1993 Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize also in that same year apartheid ends. In 1993 the ANC wins the first political anti-racial presidential elections and Nelson Mandela is elected president. In 1998 Nelson marries his third wife Garcia Machel. In 1999 Nelson Mandela steps down from being president after one term as president. In 2004 Nelson Mandela withdraws from his political life. In December 5th 2013 Nelson Mandela dies at age 95.
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