Nelson Mandela:
Political Activist, Nelson R. Mandela Was Born On This Date. In 1918, At Mvezo, A Village In Umtata, Transkei, South Africa.
On April 27, 1994, After Years Of Oppression Under White Minority Rule,
Black And White Citizens In South Africa Had Their First Democratic Election, Selecting Nelson Mandela As The Country's First Black State President.
Before His Presidency, Mandela Was A Leader In The African National Congress (ANC) And A Dedicated Anti-Apartheid Activist.
In 1963 He And Other Members Of The ANC Were Brought To Trial. He Was Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Attempting To Overthrow The South African Government With Violence.
For The Next 27 Years He Spent Much Of His Time In A Cell On Robben Island. He Saw His Wife, Winnie, Only Three Times During Those 27 Years.
While In Prison, Mandela's Reputation As Civil Rights Leader Grew Even More. He Became The Symbol And Most Famous Figure in The Anti-Apartheid Struggle.
On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela Was Released From Prison. Following His Release, He Made It Clear That The ANC's Struggle Was Not Finished And Resumed The Work Of Attaining Civil Rights For The Citizens Of South Africa.
Mandela Has Received More Than 100 Awards, Most Notably, The 1993 Nobel Peace Prize.
He Was South Africa's President From May, 1994, Until June, 1999, Presiding Over The Country's Transition From Minority Rule And Apartheid.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into it." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
