Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and statesman who served as the first democratically elected president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. Imprisoned for 27 years, he emerged to lead his country's transition from apartheid and became a global symbol of reconciliation. [1]
Early life
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 in the village of Mvezo in South Africa. He studied law and, in Johannesburg, joined the African National Congress (ANC), becoming a leading figure in its campaigns against the system of racial segregation known as apartheid. [1]
Imprisonment
In 1964 Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment for sabotage and conspiracy against the state. He spent much of the next 27 years on Robben Island. During his imprisonment he became an international symbol of resistance to apartheid, and the campaign for his release grew worldwide. [1][2]
Presidency and legacy
Released in 1990, Mandela led negotiations with President F. W. de Klerk to end apartheid, and the two shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In 1994, in the country's first fully democratic election, he was elected president. His government promoted reconciliation, and he established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He stepped down after one term and died in 2013. [1][3]
