Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time. His lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in his country won him the admiration of millions worldwide, as well as the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his nation. As the leader of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, Mandela was a key player in helping to move his country toward multiracial government and majority rule.

Rolihlahla Mandela was born deep in the black homeland of Transkei on July 18, 1918. His first name could be interpreted as "troublemaker." A primary school teacher added the English name Nelson later.

Mandela's childhood was peaceful, with days spend cattle herding and other rural pursuits, until death of Mandela's father landed him in the care of a powerful relative, the ruler of the Thembu people. It was only after he left the missionary College of Fort Hare, where he had become involved in student protests against the white colonial rule of the institution, that Mandela's set out on the long walk toward personal and national liberation.

Having run away from his guardian to avoid an arranged marriage, Mandela joined a law firm in Johannesburg as an apprentice. Years of daily exposure to the inhumanities of apartheid, where being black reduced one to the status of a non-person, kindled in him a kind of strange courage to change the world. It meant that instead of the easy life in a rural setting he'd been brought up for, or even a modest measure of success as a lawyer, his only future certainties would be sacrifice and suffering. Because of these circumstances, Mandela opted for nonviolence as a way of life. He soon joined the Youth League of the African National Congress (A.N.C.) and became involved...

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...on Mandela is one of the most influential people in history. Mandela has not only made a difference in South Africa, but around the world as well. He is brave, courageous, and stands up for what he believes in. He did not give up on his dreams even when there were setbacks or disappointments. He risked his life to help others and to improve life for blacks. Mandela encouraged others and told them not to give up, no matter what. Nelson Mandela himself once said, "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." The impression that Mandela left will certainly last forever. Nelson Mandela will always be remembered as one of the great leaders of the 20th Century.