Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela (www.poster.net)

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is the former president of South Africa, leader of the African National Congress (ANC) and an anti-apartheid activist. Apartheid was an official policy of racial segregation practiced between 1948 and 1993 in South Africa and it classified different races of people into racial groups (Nelson). The main groups consisted of Black, White, Colored, and Indian. Groups received unequal rights and public services were segregated. Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his efforts and struggle against apartheid (Nelson).

Mandela was born in the district of Umtata in the small village of Mvezo in July of 1918 (1994). He was the first in his family to receive any formal education (Nelson). He attended Fort Hare University to study for a B.A. however he was asked to leave after his first year because of a boycott by the Students' Representative Council for going against the policies of the University (Nelson). After leaving the University, Mandela worked and continued his studies through the University of Southern Africa and later studied law at the University of Witwatersrand (Nelson).

In 1948 election, apartheid was placed into action and Mandela had a significant presence in the ANC's 1952 Defiance Campaign and the 1955 Congress of the People which had great influence in the anti-apartheid cause (Nelson). Mandel looked to Mahatma Gandhi's approach to anti-apartheid and committed to non-violent actions (Nelson). "We were extremely proud of the fact that during the six months of the campaign, there was not a single act of violence on our side" (Mandela, 121). On December 5, 1956 Mandela and 150 other s were arrested and charged with treason and after five years at trial all were acquitted(Nelson). During the trail ANC was banned but Mandela proposed the establishment of a military wing within the ANC to take more violent means of getting their point across (Nelson). This led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe, translated to "Spear of the Nations" (Nelson). The goal was to destroy military government targets and campaign against the Military.

Nelson Mandela

In 1962 Mandela was captured and imprisoned in Johannesburg Fort; he was sentenced to five years in prison with hard labor. At his trial on April 20, 1964 Mandel explained his and the ANC's reasons for violent actions against the country. In Mandela's closing statement he said:

"During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against while domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." (Mandela, 1994).

Mandela was sentenced to life in prison for the charges including: involvement in planning armed action, sabotage, and conspiracy to help other countries invade South Africa. He was sent to Robben Island and spent eight-teen years there (1994).

Whilst in prison, pressure from both local and international grew upon the South African government to release Mandela from prison, and Mandela became "accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa" (1994). He continually stood strong in his ideas of equality and refused to compromise his political position to gain freedom. Under the orders of President Frederik Willem de Klerk, Mandela was released from prison in February of 1990 (1994). After his release Mandel returned to his leadership position in ANC and dedicated all of his time and energy into reaching his goals of equality set decades earlier (1994). In 1991 Mandela was elected president of the ANC and became the organizations National Chairperson. Mandela worked alongside with President F.W. de Klerk and they received the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize together for their collaboration and work on the desegregation of South Africa (Nelson). The presidential election of 1994 was South Africa's first democratic election. ANC won the election with 62% of the votes and Mandela became the country's first Black president in May of 1994 (Nelson).

Nelson Mandela is my hero because he stands for something bigger than himself. He went up against a country and stood his ground for his beliefs and more importantly his people. When faced with the decision of freedom versus sacrificing moral beliefs Mandela stayed true to himself. He is a fighter against racial hatred and continues his fight today with the same moral beliefs and friendly tactics as he used to become a nation's hero.

(http://www.mrdowling.com/images/609mandela.jpg)