Nelson Mandela
Human Rights
A Leader Of His People
Nelson Mandela was the first black man to be the president of South Africa. He had spent over 20 years in prison and 27 to be exact. The reason he was imprisoned was for trying to over throw the pro apartheid government. After being released from prison he worked on achieving 'Human Rights' and a better future for the black people.
How South Africa Was Ruled
When Nelson was growing up the Africans had little say in anyway Africa was run. The government was run by the English people only also known as the white people. Most of the black people were poor and had little amounts of money such as 50 pennies were as the white people had hundreds of pennies. Because of their colour they were used as servents and slaves they worked on gold mines, on farms and in factories.
What Was Apartheid?
Apartheid forced white people and non-white people to live in separate areas. A white person and a black person could not get married or sit at the same restaurant table or sit together on a school bus, they went to different schools and a sports team was all of one race and never mixed.
Mandela Makes A Stand
Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo set up South Africa's first black law firm and poor people came to them for help.
What Was The ANC
In 1944, Nelson joined the African National Congress or the ANC. The ANC wanted black South Africans to have the same rights as whites. Mandela led young people in the ANC. Many white people as well as black people, spoke out against apartheid without fighting. But to speak was dangerous. In 1956 Mandela and 155 other people were arrested. After a trial lasting 5 years he was set free.
What Happened at Shaperville?
In 1960, people held a demonstration against apartheid at Shaperville near Johannesburg. The police shot dead 69 black men and women. That's when the government blamed the ANC and banned it.
What i have Learned from my research and The person or event is important because
I have learned that Nelson lived an extremely tough life as a child and teenager but so did everyone else in his community. This person is important to me because he fought for his country as well as his people and watched them die which is a very heartbreaking experience so I think he must be considered to be the bravest person ever to have existed.