NelsonRolihlahlaMandela

Cora Ann Metz

The man who changed the world.

Nelson RolihlahlaMandela

Cora Ann Metz

The son of an African tribal chief, Rolilahla "Nelson" Mandela trained as a lawyer and became a founding member of the African National Congress (ANC), which rose up against the new Afrikaaner government of

1948 and its policy of apartheid.

Apartheid is racial segregation, which institutionalized poverty and inequality for

Black people in South Africa.

As a political activist and a Black man under a white extremist government, Mandela

went underground to prevent being arrested for his anti-government activities.

Nelson RolihlahlaMandela

Cora Ann Metz

He became known as the "Black Pimpernel" - a take on the fictional

French revolutionary figure the Scarlet Pimpernel - because of his ability to avoid

the police using disguises, a favorite of which was a chauffeur's uniform.

In 1961, he formed the ANC's military wing, the Umkhonto we Sizwe or MK, and led a bombing campaign against government

targets.

Accused of treason against the South African government, he was arrested in 1962 and charged with sabotage and

conspiracy to overthrow the government by violence. He was brought to trial along with

other ANC and anti-apartheid leaders.

Nelson RolihlahlaMandela

Cora Ann Metz

On June 12, 1964, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and was jailed at the Robben Island Prison (pictured below), 12km from Cape Town, off the coast of South Africa where he spent the first 18 years of his incarceration. His Robben Island prison

number was 46664, which later became a symbol in the campaign for his freedom. While in prison he was allowed only one visit a year of 30 minutes duration, and was permitted to

write and receive only a few letters.

Nelson RolihlahlaMandela

Cora Ann Metz

During his imprisonment, he contracted tuberculosis, which caused severe lung damage. This lung damage made him

susceptible to the pulmonary infection he is suffering from today. He was moved to

another penitentiary, Pollsmoor Prison on the mainland, for the final nine years of his

custody.

An international campaign lobbied for his release. A song, Free Nelson Mandela,

written by Jerry Dammers and performed by his British band, The Special A.K.A ,

became an anthem for his release.

Nelson RolihlahlaMandela

Cora Ann Metz

In 1994, Mandela became ANC President and led negotiations with the Afrikaaner

President F.W. de Klerk to abolish apartheid and establish multiracial elections, in which

he led the ANC to victory.

As his country's first Black president, Mandela formed a Government of National

Unity to ease ethnic tensions and established a new constitution which

abolished racism.

He instituted an inquiry into human rights abuses and introduced policies to encourage

land ownership for black South Africans to combat poverty and to provide health care.

Nelson RolihlahlaMandela

Cora Ann Metz

Mandela and de Klerk were jointly awarded the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize "for their work for

the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a

new democratic South Africa".

Mandela stepped down from office in 1999 and in retirement, he established the Nelson Mandela Foundation to combat poverty and

HIV/AIDS.

Mandela has received more than 250 international awards, including the

US Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Soviet Order of Lenin.

Nelson

Cora Ann Metz

Rolihlahla

Mandela

The man who changed the world.