| Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Qunu in | | | | At that point, Mandela and Tambo were running a |
| Transkei, South Africa, on 18 July 1918. His father, | | | | law firm that provided free or low cost legal |
| Hendry Mphakanyiswa Gadla, was the chief of | | | | advice and counsel to the blacks, who were until |
| Mvezo, which is a tiny village located on the banks | | | | then did not have any legal representation. |
| of Mbashe River. At the age of 7, Mandela | | | | Initially Mandela and his colleagues at the African |
| became the first person in his clan to receive | | | | National Congress were following the non-violent |
| formal schooling. It was at school that he received | | | | path to gain equality. But on December 5, 1956, |
| the name Nelson that was given to him by his | | | | he and 150 others were charged with treason. |
| teacher. | | | | The trial lasted from 1956 to 1961, and all the |
| His father died when Mandela was 10 years old. | | | | accused were acquitted. Nonetheless, Mandela and |
| However, this did not stop his formal learning. He | | | | his colleagues took the responsibility for shooting |
| attended a Wesleyan mission school that was | | | | unarmed protestors in March 1960, and this led to |
| located right next door the palace of the Regent. | | | | the African National Congress being banned along |
| From there, he moved to the Clarkebury | | | | with other anti-apartheid groups. |
| Boarding Institute, achieving his Junior Certificate in | | | | In 1961, Mandela became the commander of |
| just 2 years instead of the usual 3. | | | | ANC's armed wing known as Umkhonto we |
| In 1934, Nelson was 19 years old when he went | | | | Sizwe. He started a sabotage campaign against |
| to Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort. Here he | | | | the government and military. In addition, he also |
| became interested in boxing and running. From | | | | developed plans for guerilla warfare in case the |
| here, he moved to the Fort Hare University to | | | | sabotage plans failed. He started collecting funds |
| get a Bachelor of Arts degree. It was here that | | | | for the armed wing from other countries and |
| he met Oliver Tambo, who became his lifelong | | | | used this money to arrange paramilitary training |
| friend and colleague. However, at the end of his | | | | for the activists. However, in 1962, he was |
| first year in the university, Nelson became | | | | arrested and jailed for 5 years for traveling |
| involved in the boycott of the Students' | | | | abroad illegally and for inciting people to go on |
| Representative Council as a protest against the | | | | strike. |
| university's policies. And, this prompted the | | | | While Nelson Mandela was in prison, other ANC |
| university authorities to ask him to leave. He | | | | leaders were also arrested on July 11, 1963 and |
| moved to Johannesburg, where he completed his | | | | tried for treason. The leaders, including Mandela, |
| degree via correspondence from the University of | | | | were found guilty and sentenced to life |
| South Africa. He then began studying law at the | | | | imprisonment. |
| Wits University. | | | | Even while he was in prison, Mandela still managed |
| While he was studying law, Mandela became | | | | to get his statement sent to ANC, who published |
| involved in opposing the white minority | | | | it on June 10, 1980. The statement was to |
| government's policy of denying political, social and | | | | motivate people to continue struggling against |
| economic rights to the black majority of South | | | | apartheid. |
| Africa. He joined the African National Congress | | | | In February 1985, the South African authorities |
| (ANC) in 1942, and two years later he formed | | | | offered to release Mandela if he renounced armed |
| the Youth League along with Walter Sisulu, Oliver | | | | struggle. However, Mandela refused and stayed in |
| Tambo and many other young Turks of that era. | | | | prison until February 1990. Finally under |
| By 1948, the National Party had a full-fledged | | | | international pressure, Mandela was released on |
| policy of racial segregation in South Africa. But | | | | February 11, 1990 by the orders of the F.W. de |
| Mandela was also popular as he was in the | | | | Klerk, the president of South Africa. |
| forefront of the Defiance Campaign in 1952 and | | | | In 1993, Mandela and de Klerk shared the Nobel |
| Congress of the People in 1955. | | | | Peace Prize. |