“I have fought against white 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” (biography). These words spoken by Nelson Mandela created an accurate depiction of who he was. The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 fought long and hard for equality in South Africa; he refused to give up after being imprisoned for 27 years. He created lots of positive change and he helped make South Africa a better place (Nelson Mandela). His actions and persistence have inspired many, and he proved that anything is possible with hard work, and that hard work will always pay off.
Biography:
Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson
When Nelson Mandela was nine years old, his father died and he was sent to a village far away from home, in another part of South Africa. While he was there, he saw many fellow Africans. Some poor, most powerless, all downtrodden. At that point, his mind was made up that he would work to protect them. When the government began to segregate sides because of skin color, Mandela spoke out and fought for his people, fighting hard to make his country a free and equal place.
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18th, 1918 in Mvezo, Eastern Cape, South Africa. He is best known for his fight against apartheid and becoming the first black President of South Africa. Mandela was born into the Thembu people and was motivated to study law after experiencing the tribal democratic leadership. He joined the African National Congress in 1942 and participated in the organization of a many protests against apartheid. In 1952 “Mandela and Oliver Tambo started the first black law office in South Africa with the intent of fighting black injustice (Saunders, World Book 133)”. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and given a life sentence for charges for conspiring against the government. He was released in 1990 after serving 27 years. In 1993 he received the Nobel Peace Prize along with F. W. de Klerk for their contribution towards ending of apartheid and establishing multiracial elections. He was elected the first black President of South Africa in 1994. While in power he focused on fighting racism, inequality, and poverty in South Africa. Mandela retired his presidency in 1999 and made his last public appearance at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. Nelson Mandela died December 5th, 2013 in Johannesburg. Throughout his early life, his imprisonment, and his presidency, Nelson Mandela always stood for change.
Nelson Mandela was and will continue to be one of the most influential people throughout history. The mistreatment he endured, the struggles he encountered, and the racial discrimination he faced did not stop him from accomplishing the goal he set forth for him and his people. Nelson Mandela, Rolihlahla, was the son of a chief of the Madiba clan. After his father's death he was sent to live with Jongintaba Dalindyebo, a high-ranking Thembu regent, who provided him with the best education blacks could receive. After protesting local injustices in his community he fled to Johannesburg to escape an arranged marriage. During his time there he became involved in the movement against racial discrimination , he was later arrested in which in time
When most people think of South Africa, the first name that comes to mind is Nelson Mandela. Born in 1918, during a time when white men held most of the power, there was a system of segregation against ‘colored people’ called apartheid. Throughout his life, Mandela worked to fight against this segregation and endured extreme human rights violations. Nelson Mandela is a hero because his efforts were a contributing factor in bringing an end to apartheid and he influenced major changes within the county of South Africa.
Nelson Mandela was born to Henry Gadla Mphakanyiswa (1880-1928) and Nosekeni Fanny Mandela at Mbhashe in the Umtata district of the Transkei (Middleton 1). Mandela enrolled at the local school and eventually gained admission in 1938 to Fort Hare College, the missionary run education center for the most promising Africans youths of the era (Middleton 2). Later Mandela expelled in 1940 for engaging in a strike. That was the turning point for Mandela and later he joined the African National Congress (ANC), institutionalizing racism as apartheid. Nelson Mandela is man who has dedicated his life to fight against apartheid in South Africa and then encountered the century’s legacy of apartheid.
Indeed, in the first paragraph of the book, Mandela outlines the importance of his birth to the person he later becomes. He was born to a chief and thus was expected to have leadership qualities from the start. Like most cultures around the world, legitimate leadership in Africa emanates from birth rather than proven leadership skills. Therefore, having a chief for a farther implies raised expectations about a person’s ability to lead. Mandela implies that his father passed on to him an ‘abiding connection to the Thembu house (Mandela 20). This impels that from his birth, he was responsible for the well-being of his people. In his later years, Mandela sacrificed everything including his freedom in the view that these sacrifices would benefit Africans in the end. For example, his political activism was responsible for landing him in jail. This activist was geared towards fighting for liberation for the interest of his people. Though it was ...
The autobiography, “Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom”, it depicts Mandela’s life uncovered. He was a politician and Nobel Peace Prize 1993 recipient who struggled most of his life for all colored people to be free. His life has been a long journey from being a kid from the countryside to being one of the most respected politicians in the world today.
Perhaps the first seed was planted in his heart when Mandela’s father died and he went to live with Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo, the acting regent of the Tembu people. Mandela was nine years old at the time, and when he was given the opportunity for higher education, he took an interest in the history of South Africa. He began learning about how the Afr...
Rebin Ismail
Dr. Kwame
Leadership Class- Leadership Report
Nelson Mandela
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Nelson Mandela
He was the president of South Africa, and his full name is Nelson Rolihlaha Mandela. He was born in town called Mvezo, which is fallen in Transkei region. He belongs to Madiba clan.