Nelson Mandela

By Alexis Mondares

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela

Family• Born July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, South Africa• Xhosa Nation• Thembu Tribe• Birth name: Rolihlaha

“pulling the branch of a tree”• Father: Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa

Government appointed Chief 4 wives – Great, Right Hand, Left Hand, Iquadi (support) 4 boys, 9 girls

• Mother was the Right Hand Wife 1 boy , 3 girls

• Youngest boy

Early Life• At age 5 he was a herd boy• Age 9 his father died• Mother moved to Qunu• Baptized as Methodist before attending the local school

Nelson• Local Chief Jongintaba adopted him

Relative• Clarkebury Boarding Institute

Played sports but wasn’t close to being the star Was afraid of failing tests Completed in 2 years instead of the standard 3

• 1937 - Wesleyan Secondary School

Inspiration• Warrior-prophet Makana led an

army against a British outpost It failed Life imprisonment

• Maqoma led wars and was imprisoned twice 11 years At age 73 until death

• Heroes of Mandela’s youth• Xhosa resistance failed

University and Farther• University of Fort Hare

For BA Was expelled for skipping classes to

joining a protest boycott

• He and his cousin ran away from Johannesburg

• Worked for a short time as a mine policeman

• Completed BA at University of South Africa in 1942

• Studied for LLB but never completed

ANC and Apartheid• Joined the African National

Congress in 1944• Engaged in the resistance

against the ruling National Party’s apartheid after 1948

• Went to prison for treason in 1956 – 1961 and was acquitted in 1961

• 1960 – wanted to set up a military wing in the ANC• 1961 – ANC executive agreed not to stop any member from

joining Mandela’s campaign which led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe (armed unit of ANC)

ANC and Apartheid• 1962 – arrested in

and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment with hard labor for leaving the country illegally

• 1963 – many of the members ofUmkhonto we Sizwe were arrested

• June 12, 1964, he and eight of the accused were sentenced to life in imprisonment

• 1964 – 1982 was in Robben Island Prison off Cape Town• 1982 and after, was in Pollsmoor Prison

Cultural Significance• In prison

reputation grew became widely accepted as the

most significant black leader in South Africa

• Released on February 11, 1990• inaugurated as President of a

Democratic South Africa on May 10, 1994

• Stepped down in 1999 after one term as President

Interesting Facts• During Nelson Mandela’s jail time he had secret talks with

South Africa’s president, P.W. Botha, and his successor, F.W. de Klerk.

• In 1993, he won the Nobel Peace Price• June 1999, he returned to Qunu after retiring from

Presidency• 2005, he lost his son to AIDS• Age 92

Negotiating Peace• symbol of resistance as the

anti-apartheid movement gathered strength

• refused to compromise his political position to obtain freedom

• Never answered racism with racism