Nelson Mandela: Standing Firm

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Nelson Mandela was born in Mvezo, a village in the Transkei, on July 18, 1918. The definition of Rolihlahla actually means “pulling the branch of a tree”. After the passing away of Nelson’s father’s in the year 1927, Mandela became the ward of Jongintaba Dalindyebo, the Paramount Chief, to be developed to grasp his place in high office. As a result of listening to the elder’s stories of his ancestor’s valor during the resistance wars, he aspired too of creating his own significant addition to the freedom tribulation of his people. He then enrolled at the University College of Fort Hare; there he was elected onto the Students’ Representative Council. He was suspended from college for being involved in a protest boycott, and it was an action such as this that gave some people the impression that Nelson Mandela was a trouble maker. Mr. Mandela had gotten acquainted with Walter Sisulu in 1941 and it was he, Sisulu, who arranged for Nelson to do articles at Lazar Sidelsky’s law firm. Mandela completed his Bachelor of Arts degree through the University of South Africa in 1942.While studying Nelson made his venture into politics, and joined the African National Congress in 1943.

At the peak of World War 2, a group of Africans who were active members of the African National Congress were bound together under the leadership of Anton Lembede. The members included were William Nkomo, Sisulu, Oliver R. Tambo, and Nelson Mandela. Their primary focus was that the political tactics of the leadership of the A.N.C, proved inadequate to the assignments of national emancipation. In opposition to the old guard, Lembede and his colleagues chose to take a radical African nationalism based on the principle of national self-determination. In the month ...

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...: The Nelson Mandela Foundation, The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and The Mandela-Rhodes Foundation.

In conclusion, Mandela realized that there would be no easy way to freedom. Only as a cohesive unit were these goals possible to achieve. He strived for the reign of freedom, and he prospered. Nelson Mandela always stood firm in his loyalty to democracy, equality and education. Though he faced horrible terrible fates, he has never responded racism with racists acts. His life is an inspiration to the oppressed and those who share (d) his vision.

Works Cited

1. “Using Memory to Create Social Justice”. NelsonMandela.org. Nelson Mandela Foundation, n.d. Web. March 15, 2011.

2. “Nelson Mandela – Biography”. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Media, 1993. Web. March 15, 2011.

3. “Frontline”. Pbs.org. Frontline: Brilliant Investigative Reporting, n.d. Web. March 15, 2011

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