IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 501 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on Nelson Mandela 
International Day. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2019 
Mr. LEWIS (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. BASS, Mr. BISHOP of 
Georgia, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. CARSON of 
Indiana, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. CLYBURN, Ms. 
CLARKE of New York, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CON-
NOLLY, Mr. COSTA, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, 
Mrs. DAVIS
of California, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. 
ESPAILLAT, Mr. EVANS, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. GARCI´A of Illi-
nois, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Ms. 
KENDRA S. HORN of Oklahoma, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. JOHNSON of 
Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. KHANNA, 
Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, 
Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. 
MCGOVERN, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. MOORE, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, 
Ms. OMAR, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. RUSH, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. THOMP-
SON of California, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. WATERS, and Mrs. WATSON COLE-
MAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on 
Nelson Mandela International Day. 
Whereas Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born to the Thembo 
Dynasty in Mvezo in the Umtata District of Transkei, 
South Africa, on July 18, 1918; 
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•HRES 501 IH 
Whereas, as a young man, Nelson Mandela became an activ-
ist through acts of boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience, 
and other forms of noncooperation during the fight 
against apartheid, a system of racial segregation in South 
Africa; 
Whereas, as a leader of the African National Congress (ANC) 
and the African National Congress Youth League, Nelson 
Mandela and 9 of his fellow ANC leaders were arrested, 
charged, and tried for plotting the violent overthrow of 
the Government of South Africa; 
Whereas, on June 12, 1964, 8 of the accused, including Nel-
son Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment; 
Whereas, from 1964 to 1982, Nelson Mandela was incarcer-
ated at Robben Island Prison, off the coast of Cape 
Town, South Africa, before being moved to the max-
imum-security Pollsmoor Prison in the Cape Town sub-
urb of Tokai; 
Whereas, during the years of his imprisonment, Nelson 
Mandela became widely accepted as the most significant 
Black leader in South Africa and a symbol of resistance 
against apartheid, discrimination, and injustice; 
Whereas a global movement to release Nelson Mandela and 
end the South African system of apartheid included inter-
national economic sanctions like Public Law No. 99–440, 
the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, and the condemnation of 
apartheid by countless leaders, artists, intellectuals, and 
activists; 
Whereas at 4:14 p.m. on February 11, 1990, Mandela was 
released from the Victor Verster prison in Paarl after 
being a political prisoner for 27 years, 6 months, and 1 
week; 
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•HRES 501 IH 
Whereas the release of Nelson Mandela was a defining mo-
ment in the global effort to end apartheid; 
Whereas, in 1993, Nelson Mandela and South African Presi-
dent F.W. de Klerk accepted the Nobel Peace Prize and 
pledged to continue working towards a democratic, non-
racial South Africa; 
Whereas a series of negotiations between the Government of 
South Africa and the ANC resulted in the abolishment of 
apartheid and an election in which almost 20,000,000 
South Africans of all ethnicities cast their vote under a 
national policy of universal suffrage; 
Whereas Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President of 
the Republic of South Africa on May 10, 1994, and 
pledged to lead a ‘‘united, democratic, non-racial and 
non-sexist government’’ for all people of South Africa; 
Whereas, during President Mandela’s tenure, there were dis-
tinct advancements in racial relations as South Africa 
transitioned from apartheid and minority rule to a coun-
try that aspired to achieve reconciliation, equality, and 
peace; 
Whereas, through President Mandela’s leadership, the spirit 
of ‘‘ubuntu’’, the African philosophy of the interconnect-
edness, caring, sharing, and harmony of humanity, has 
spread throughout the world; 
Whereas, in 1999, President Mandela retired to private life 
in his town of birth, Qunu, Transkei; 
Whereas upon leaving elected office, President Mandela con-
tinued to fight for peace, reconciliation, and social justice 
causes including championing HIV/AIDS awareness and 
treatment; 
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