description: This unique electronic book on CD-ROM has a collection of the federal documents and resources about Nelson Mandela, freedom fighter and former President of South Africa. It also includes comprehensive information on the nation of South Africa. President Mandela was born in 1918 in the Transkei and grew up in a Thembu royal household. During childhood and adolescence, he was groomed to eventually become a village chief, but he did not always conform to expected patterns of behavior. He began college in 1938, was suspended after two years for organizing and leading a student boycott and completed his studies by correspondence. In 1944 Mr. Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC), the oldest (founded 1912) political organization in sub- Saharan Africa. He was a founding member of the ANC's dynamic and militant Youth League and was elected its president in 1950. Periodic banning and arrests by the government became a part of his life when he was arrested in 1952 for the first time, the year he also began his law practice. He had organized and led the Defiance Campaign for which he was forced to resign from the ANC and was banned from attending any gatherings for five years. In 1956 he and 156 other leaders were arrested and charged with "high treason," but all were acquitted after a 4 1/2-year trial. Later, in 1961, after organizing the landmark All-In African Conference, he was threatened with arrest but evaded capture. As the elusive "Black Pimpernel," he traveled inside South Africa and abroad for 17 months. Caught and arrested on July 11, 1963, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on the charge of plotting to overthrow the government by violence. After 27 years, on Feb. 11, 1990, he was freed and on May 10, 1994, after the first free election in South African history, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was sworn in as president of the Republic of South Africa. President Clinton made these comments about Mandela in 1998: �Mr. Mandela waited a very long time to actually do something for his people, rather than just to be something to keep their hearts and hopes alive. And every day I watch him that is what he does. So should we. And, finally, in forgiving those who imprisoned him he reminded us of the most fundamental lesson of all - that in the end apartheid was a defeat of the heart, the mind, the spirit. It was not just a structure outside and jailhouses within which people were kept; it was a division of the mind and soul against itself. For those of us who have been privileged to know this remarkable man, no medal, no award, no fortune, nothing we could give him could possibly compare to the gift he has given to us and to the world. The only gift that is true recompense is to continue his mission, and to live by the power of his profound and wonderful example. Now, as prescribed by the law, it is my privilege to present the Congressional Gold Medal to President Nelson Mandela.� This CD-ROM is packed with over 35,000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software - allowing direct viewing on Windows and Macintosh systems. The Acrobat cataloging technology adds enormous value and uncommon functionality to this impressive collection of government documents and material. Our news and educational discs are privately compiled collections of official public domain U.S. government files and documents - they are not produced by the federal government. They are designed to provide a convenient user-friendly reference work, utilizing the benefits of the Adobe Acrobat format to uniformly present thousands of pages that can be rapidly reviewed, searched by finding specific words, or printed without untold hours of tedious research and downloading. Vast archives of important public domain government information that might otherwise remain inaccessible are available for instant review no matter where you are. This book-on-a-disc format makes a great reference work and educational tool. There is no other reference that
language: English
title: 21st Century Essential Guide to Nelson Mandela and South Africa Freedom Fighter, President of South Africa, Nobel Prize Winner, Apartheid Opponent
titlecomplete: 21st Century Essential Guide to Nelson Mandela and South Africa Freedom Fighter, President of South Africa, Nobel Prize Winner, Apartheid Opponent (CD-ROM)
publisher: Progressive Management