Nelson Mandela

798 Words2 Pages

Nelson Mandela is a hero. He changed the world with everything he set his mind to. He fought for what he believed in and that’s why he is remembered. His long life was very exciting and interesting and everything that he went through really makes you think about all of your rights you have today. He accomplished many great things throughout his years. Through all of the struggles and decisions he made, he always found a way to appreciate all of the little things life had to offer.
Rolihlalah Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. His hometown is a small village in a very agricultural Transkei region of South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. He was one of thirteen children. His Father was Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa and his mother was Nosekeni Nonqaphi. Gadla died when Rolihlalah was 9 years old and he became a ward of Jongintaba at the Great Place in Mqhekezweni. The communication between Mandela and his mother was never really mentioned. Nosekeni died in September of 1968.
When Mandela turned 7 years old, he entered a mission school. While he was attending the mission school he completed his primary studies. A teacher named him Nelson as part of a common practice of giving African students English names. After mission school he continued on and attended Clarkebury Boarding Institute and Healdtown which was a Methodist Secondary School. The reason for attending a Methodist school was because of his mom. He wanted to follow in her footsteps and become a Methodist just like her.
In 1939 Mandela entered the Elite University of Fort Hare. It was the only Western-Style higher learning Institute for South African Blacks at the time. The following year, he and several other students, were sent home for participating in a boycott against univers...

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...t only with his children but with his grandchildren as well. On his 80th birthday, the man whose two marriages had failed, he married Graca Machel.
As years went on, Mandela’s respiratory system began to fail. The reason behind it was from all of the years working in a quarry at Robben Island. Late in 2012, he suffered from one of the more frequent trips to the hospital. Machel admitted that “his spirit and sparkle are fading.” Mandela was an inspiration to people all over the world and will always be remembered.

Works Cited

Eddings, Jerelyn. “The Politician.” Essence (Time Inc.) 44.10 (2014) 120. MAS Ultra-School
Edition. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.
Nelson Mandela. (2014) The Biography Channel Website. Retrieved 03.26, Jan. 31, 2014 from http://www.biography.com/people/nelson-mandela-9397017. “A Life In Pictures Nelson Mandela.” Time Magazine. 14 March 2014:4-21. Print.

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