Nelson Mandela Fast Facts - CNN.com Nelson Mandela Fast Facts CNN Library Updated 8:13 PM ET, Tue September 22, 2015 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Nelson Mandela, the prisoner-turned-president who reconciled South Africa after the end of apartheid, died on December 5, 2013. He was 95. Hide Caption 1 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela became president of the African National Congress Youth League in 1951. Hide Caption Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela poses for a photo, circa 1950. Hide Caption Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela poses in boxing gloves in 1952. Hide Caption 4 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela in the office of Mandela & Tambo, a law practice set up in Johannesburg by Mandela and Oliver Tambo to provide free or affordable legal representation to black South Africans.

Hide Caption 5 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – From left: Patrick Molaoa, Robert Resha and Mandela walk to the courtroom for their treason trial in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 6 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela married his second wife, social worker Winnie Madikizela, in 1958. At the time, he was an active member of the African National Congress and had begun his lifelong commitment to ending segregation in South Africa. Hide Caption 7 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Nelson and Winnie Mandela raise their fists to salute a cheering crowd upon his 1990 release from Victor Verster Prison. He was still as upright and proud, he would say, as the day he walked into prison 27 years before. Hide Caption 8 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – A jubilant South African holds up a newspaper announcing Mandela's release from prison at an ANC rally in Soweto on February 11, 1990.

Two days later, more than 100,000 people attended a rally celebrating his release from jail. Hide Caption 9 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela and Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda arrive at an ANC rally on March 3, 1990, in Lusaka, Zambia. Mandela was elected president of the ANC the next year. Hide Caption 10 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – After his release in 1990, Mandela embarked on a world tour, meeting U.S. President George H.W. Bush at the White House in June. Hide Caption 11 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – At his Soweto home on July 18, 1990, Mandela blows out the candles on his 72nd birthday cake. It was the first birthday he celebrated as a free man since the 1960s.

Hide Caption 12 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela and his wife react to supporters during a visit to Brazil at the governor's palace in Rio De Janeiro, on August 1, 1991. Hide Caption 13 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – South African President Frederik de Klerk, right, and Mandela shared a Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their work to secure a peaceful transition from apartheid rule. Hide Caption 14 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela votes for the first time in his life on March 26, 1994. Hide Caption 15 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – On April 27, 1994, a long line of people snake toward a polling station in the black township of Soweto outside of Johannesburg in the nation's first all-race elections.

Hide Caption 16 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela in Mmabatho for an election rally on March 15, 1994. Hide Caption 17 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela was elected president in the first open election in South African history on April 29, 1994. He's pictured here taking the oath at his inauguration in May, becoming the nation's first black president. Hide Caption 18 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela, left, cheers as Springbok Rugby captain Francois Pienaar holds the Webb Ellis trophy high after winning the World Cup Rugby Championship in Johannesburg on June 24, 1995. Hide Caption 19 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – After one term as president, Mandela stepped down. Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, at right, was sworn in as his replacement in June 1999.

Hide Caption 20 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela sits outside his former prison cell on Robben Island on November 28, 2003, ahead of his AIDS benefit concert at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. He was sent to the infamous prison five miles off the coast of South Africa, where he spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars. Hide Caption 21 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela shows something to a group of international journalists visiting the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg in May 2004. Hide Caption 22 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela sits with his wife, Graca Machel, and his grandchildren at his son's funeral on January 15, 2005. He disclosed that his son, Makgatho Lewanika Mandela, had died of AIDS and said the disease should be given publicity so people would stop viewing it as extraordinary.

Hide Caption 23 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – The "46664 Arctic" benefit concert was held in Tromso, Norway, on June 11, 2005. 46664 was Mandela's identification number in prison. Here, artists who performed at the event surround him. Hide Caption 24 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela attends an HIV/AIDs concert in Johannesburg on February 17, 2005. Hide Caption 25 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Former U.S. President Bill Clinton leans down to whisper to former South African President Nelson Mandela during a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation on July 19, 2007, in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 26 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – A bronze statue of Mandela was unveiled in Parliament Square in London on August 29, 2007. The 9-foot statue faces the Houses of Parliament.

Hide Caption 27 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela leaves the InterContinental Hotel after a photoshoot with celebrity photographer Terry O'Neil on June 26, 2008, in London. Hide Caption 28 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela meets in 2009 with international children as part of his 46664 Foundation. Hide Caption 29 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Nelson Mandela and his third wife, Graca Machel, arrive at the 2010 World Cup before the final match between Netherlands and Spain on July 11, 2010, at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto. Hide Caption 30 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Mandela at his home in Qunu, South Africa, on August 6, 2012.

Hide Caption Nelson Mandela: leader among leaders Nelson Mandela: leader among leaders Nelson Mandela: leader among leaders 15 Oct 2013 Tweet on Twitter Chief among African leaders, Nelson Mandela is one of few statesmen to have achieved almost universal respect around the world and across the political spectrum. His role in fighting apartheid, his imprisonment on Robben Island – where he came to symbolise the struggle of oppressed people around the world – and his ability to steer South Africa through its rebirth earned him the international reputation of benevolent negotiator and quintessential peacemaker. Imprisoned for 27 years for his opposition to apartheid, Mandela came out of prison in 1990 expressing no bitterness towards his tormentors. Instead, he championed reconciliation among South Africa’s polarised races, espousing the principles of nation-building and co-operative governance. Mandela was one of the few leaders capable of inspiring confidence both inside and outside the country. Few others would have managed to unite the disparate warring parties and steer South Africa from what seemed to be the brink of civil war.

To some, Mandela had a near-omnipotent power at the negotiating table, carrying with him an indubitable moral authority and gentle but firm sense of fairness. In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which he shared with former South African president FW de Klerk. Mandela as president As South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994, Mandela tackled the challenge of uniting both the country’s racial groupings and a fragmented public service whose delivery mandate was skewed in favour of the white population. A significant milestone of his presidency was the exemplary constitution-making process, which delivered a document that is the envy of the democratic world. Mandela is equally known for taking a strong stand against the giant world powers – especially in defence of Africa. As president, he was unrestrained in embracing the ANC’s former allies, such as Libya’s Muammar Gadaffi and Palestinian Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat, in spite of criticism from the United States. His position also made for fluid relationships with Russia and China, former communist allies of the ANC.

After handing over the reigns of the presidency to Thabo Mbeki in 1999, Mandela played a key role as middleman in crisis-hit areas such as Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Besides campaigning globally for peace, Mandela focused his still prodigious energies increasingly on empowering disadvantaged children and fighting against HIV/Aids. In June 2004, Mandela officially retired from public life. His parting gift – a R1-billion endowment to South Africa, to be raised by the three charitable organisations that bear his name: the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Nelson Mandela Rhodes Foundation. Early life Nelson Mandela, whose second name is Rolihlahla, was born on 18 July 1918 in Mvezo, near Qunu. He was the son of Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Henry Mgadla Mandela, chief councillor to the paramount chief of the Tembu. He spent his early childhood in the Transkei, being groomed to become a chief. Mandela matriculated at Healdtown Methodist Boarding School and enrolled at Fort Hare University College, where he met Oliver Tambo.

It was at Fort Hare that he first became involved in student politics, and he was expelled in 1940 after participating in a student protest. Mandela left the Transkei, partly to avoid an arranged marriage, and moved to Johannesburg where he was employed as a mine policeman. Shortly after this he met Walter Sisulu, who helped him obtain articles with a legal firm. Completing a BA degree by correspondence in 1941, he then began studying for a law degree, which he didn’t complete. In December 1952, Mandela and Tambo opened the first African legal partnership in the country. Youth League founder Together with Sisulu and Tambo, Mandela participated in the founding of the African National Congress Youth League in 1944. The Youth League invigorated the ANC. Its Programme of Action was adopted by the ANC in 1949, and it provided much of the impetus that led to mass protests and later, the formation of the ANC’s armed wing, Umkhonto weSizwe.

Visit the ANC’s archive: African National Congress Youth League In 1948 Mandela served as the Youth League’s national secretary, and in 1950 became its national president. He became one of four deputy presidents of the ANC in October 1952. First arrest and banning In December of the same year, Mandela and 19 others were arrested and charged under the Suppression of Communism Act for their participation in the Defiance Campaign, a national protest against laws curtailing the freedoms of blacks, Indians and coloureds. The campaign was significant for Mandela. Whereas previously he was wary of working with non-black Africans, the campaign convinced him to move towards co-ordinating an interracial and united front to fight apartheid. Mandela was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour, suspended for two years. He was later served with a six-month banning order prohibiting him from attending meetings, or from leaving the Johannesburg magisterial district. For the following nine years his banning orders were continually renewed. In December 1956 Mandela was one of 156 political activists arrested and charged with high treason for the campaign leading to the adoption of The Freedom Charter in 1955.

The trial lasted four-and-a-half years. On 25 March 1961, Mandela and 29 others were found not guilty. Visit the ANC’s archive: The Freedom Charter Family life Mandela married Evelyn Mase, a nurse, in 1944. The couple had met through Sisulu, Mase’s cousin. The lived in Soweto and had four children, including Makgatho Mandela and Makaziwe Mandela. The divorced in 1958, and taking the children, Mase moved to Cofimvaba in what is today Eastern Cape. In the same year he divorced his first wife, Mandela married Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela. They had two daughters, Zenani and Zindzi. It was a turbulent marriage. During Mandela’s imprisonment on Robben Island, Winnie spearheaded the struggle outside prison. During the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings some three decades later, she was linked to the deaths of several young ANC activists. They divorced in 1996. Mandela and Mase’s third child, Thembi, was killed in a car accident in 1969, while Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island.

Their other son, Makgatho Lewanika Mandela – Mandela’s last surviving son – died on 6 January 2005, aged 54. Read more: My son died of Aids: Mandela Armed struggle When the apartheid government banned the ANC and the Pan Africanist Congress in 1960, Mandela led the campaign to launch an underground struggle. He emerged as a leading figure in the formation of Umkhonto weSizwe, the ANC’s armed wing, becoming its first commander-in-chief. After working outside South Africa for a period – a time that included military training in Algeria – Mandela returned to the country in July 1962. On 5 August 1962 the police finally captured the elusive “Black Pimpernel” near Howick in what was then Natal province. He was tried and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for incitement to strike and illegally leaving the country. Rivonia Trial While Mandela was in prison, police raided the ANC’s underground headquarters at Lilliesleaf Farm in Rivonia, north of Johannesburg, and arrested several ANC leaders.

Police found documents relating to the manufacture of explosives, Mandela’s diary and copies of a draft memorandum – Operation Mayibuye – which outlined a possible strategy for guerrilla struggle. Read more: Liliesleaf: one day back in ’63 The Rivonia Trial began in October 1963 and Mandela joined the other accused – Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba, Elias Motsoaledi, Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg and Wilton Mkwayi – being tried for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. Mandela’s statement from the dock received worldwide publicity. On 12 June 1964, all eight of the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment. Goldberg was sent to Pretoria Prison, the rest to Robben Island. Visit the ANC’s archive: Mandela’s statement from the dock Robben Island Mandela spent the next 18 years on Robben Island, before being transferred in 1982 to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town and then to Victor Verster Prison, where it was discovered that he was suffering from tuberculosis.

On Robben Island, Mandela, who was kept in isolation along with other senior leaders, continued to play an important role as a political leader behind bars, maintaining contact with the ANC leadership in exile. From July 1986 onwards, he initiated contact with government representatives, which led eventually to his July 1989 meeting with President PW Botha at Tuynhuys. In December 1989 he met De Klerk. Freedom! Mandela was released from jail on Sunday, 11 February 1990. The first images of the president-to-be walking out of prison were relayed live via satellite to ecstatic audiences across the globe. Mandela led the ANC in negotiations with the South African government which culminated in the adoption of the interim constitution in November 1993. In 1994 the ANC won the country’s first multiracial elections with an overwhelming majority. Mandela’s inauguration as president brought together the largest number of heads of state since the funeral of former US President John Kennedy in 1963. On 18 July 1998 Mandela married Graça Machel, the widow of former Mozambican president Samora Machel.

After handing over the reigns of the presidency to Thabo Mbeki in 1999, Mandela played a key role as middleman in crisis-hit areas such as Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Besides campaigning globally for peace, Mandela focused his still prodigious energies on empowering disadvantaged children and fighting against HIV/Aids. He gave his prison number – 46664 – to a global campaign to raise awareness about the disease. Retirement and legacy In June 2004, Mandela officially retired from public life. His parting gift – a R1-billion endowment to South Africa, to be raised by the three charitable organisations that bear his name: the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Nelson Mandela Rhodes Foundation. See: Mandela’s wish for South Africa In 2007, Mandela, together with Machel and Desmond Tutu, convened a group of world leaders – The Elders – to contribute their wisdom and independent leadership to global problems and to ease human suffering. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Mandela’s birthday, 18 July, as Nelson Mandela International Day, marking his contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle.

It called on individuals to donate 67 minutes to doing something for others, commemorating the 67 years that Mandela had been a part of the movement. With his health increasingly fragile, Mandela was admitted to hospital for a reoccurring lung infection many times from 2011. In June 2013, he was admitted in a serious condition. The nation held its breath – but Mandela was sent home on 1 September, with President Jacob Zuma describing Mandela’s condition as “critical and at times unstable”. Mandela passed away on 5 December 2013 at his home in Houghton, Joburg, at the age of 95. “Our nation has lost its greatest son, our people have lost a father,” said Zuma. “Although we knew that this day would come nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss. ‘What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves and in him we saw so much of ourselves. Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together and it is together that we will bid him farewell.” Barack Obama, USA’s first black president also praised Mandela.

“We’ve lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth,” Obama said. “He no longer belongs to us – he belongs to the ages.” The country went into a 10-day mourning period. Mandela’s body lay in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria from 11 to 13 December 2013 for the public to say goodbye. A state funeral took place in Qunu on 15 December, where his body was buried. SouthAfrica.info reporter Updated October 2015 Would you like to use this article in your publication or on your website? See: Using SouthAfrica.info material TAGS Nelson Mandela - Quotes Quotes Former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is often quoted by both world leaders and the man in the street. Below are a number of such quotes. “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.

But if needs be, it an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” (Extract from I am Prepared to Die – Mandela’s statement from the dock at the opening of the defence case in the Rivonia Trial, Pretoria Supreme Court, 20 April 1964) “True, the struggle will be a bitter one. Leaders will be deported, imprisoned, and even shot. The government will terrorise the people and their people and their leaders in an effort to halt the forward march; ordinary forms of organisation will be rendered impossible. But the spirit of the people cannot be crushed…until full victory is won.” (Address at the Annual Conference of the African national (ANC) Youth League, Bloemfontein, December 1951) “…I would like to emphasise the aims of our campaign over again. We are not in opposition to any government or class of people. We are opposing a system which has for years kept a vast section of the non-European people in bondage.

Though it takes us years, we are prepared to continue the campaign…” (An extract from We defy – a statement written by Mandela and published in Drum, August 1952) “Only through hardship, sacrifice and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days.” (From a press statement issued by Mandela, explaining his decision to continue his political work underground, 26 June 1961) “I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of what I thought, because of my conscience.” (Spoken in court when Mandela was on trial on charges of incitement and illegally leaving the country, November 1962) “Why is it that in this courtroom I am facing a white magistrate, confronted by a white prosecutor, escorted by white orderlies? Can anybody honestly and seriously suggest that in this type of atmosphere the scales of justice are evenly balanced? I am a black man in a white man’s court.

This should not be.” (Spoken in court when Mandela was on trial on charges of incitement and illegally leaving the country, November 1962) “Too many have suffered for the love of freedom. I too cannot sell my birthright, nor am I prepared to sell the birthright of my people to be free. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.” (Extract from a letter by Mandela, rejecting the government’s offer of freedom, read on his behalf by his daughter Zindzi to a mass meeting at Jabulani Stadium, Soweto, on 10 February 1985) “I stand before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people. Your tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for me to be here today. I therefore place the remaining yeas of my life in your hands.” (Address on his release from prison, Cape Town, 11 February 1990) “Our struggle has reached a decisive moment. We call on all our people to seize the moment so that the process towards democracy is rapid and uninterrupted. We have waited too long for our freedom. We can no longer wait. Our march to freedom is irreversible.

We must not allow fear to stand in our way.” (Address on his release from prison, Cape Town, 11 February 1990) “We are going forward. I have spoken about freedom in my entire lifetime. Your struggles, your commitment and your discipline have released me to stand before you today. The basic principles will propel us to a free, non-racial, democratic, united South Africa that we have struggled and died for.” (Address at a rally in Soweto, 13 February 1990) “Since my release, I have become more convinced than ever that the real makers of history are the ordinary men and women of our country. Their participation in every decision about the future is the only guarantee of true democracy and freedom.” (Address at a rally in Durban, 25 February 1990) “It could have been that our own hearts had turned to stone. But we understood that the oppression dehumanises the oppressor as it hurts the oppressed. We understood that to emulate the barbarity of the tyrant would also transform us into savages.

We knew that we would sully and degrade our cause if we allowed that it should, at any stage, borrow anything from the practices of the oppressor.” (Address to Parliament of the Republic of Ireland, 2 July 1990) “Change is as unsettling as it is painful. It cannot be any different because change is movement…At times of momentous developments, when societies reach their high noon, everything else becomes uncertain except for the golden gate that must be reached – the goal of freedom.” (Statement on the occasion of his installation as the Chancellor of the University of the North, 25 April 1992) “Ruth spent her life in the service of the people of southern Africa. She went to prison for her beliefs… Her life, and her death, remains a beacon to all who love liberty.” (Address at the Ruth First 10th Anniversary Commemoration Trust, Cape Town, 17 August 1992) “The convening of Codesa was like the parting of the waters, opening the way to the promised land of freedom beyond.

It was a great victory for the people of South Africa, black and white.” (Address at the Zionist Christian Church Easter Conference, Moria, 20 April 1992) “And let there be no mistake: there have been many changes, and negotiations have started, but for the ordinary black person of this country, apartheid is alive and well.” (Address to the nation on the assassination of Martin Chris Hani, 10 April 1993) “Black lives are cheap, and will remain so as long as apartheid continues to exist. Chris Hani championed the cause of peace, trudging to every corner of South Africa, calling for a spirit of tolerance among all out people.” (Address at the funeral of Martin Chris Hani, Soweto, 19 April 1993) “Oliver lived not because he could breathe. He lived not because blood flowed through his veins… Oliver lived because he had surrendered his very being to the people.

He lived because his very being embodied love, an idea, a hope, an aspiration, a vision.” (Address at the funeral of Oliver Tambo, Johannesburg, 2 May 1993) “At the southern tip of the continent, a rich reward is in the making, an invaluable gift is in the preparation, for those who suffered in the name of all humanity when they sacrificed everything – for liberty, peace, human dignity and human fulfillment. The value of our shared reward will and must be measured by the joyful peace which will triumph, because of the common humanity that bonds both black and white into one human race, will have said to each one of us that we shall all live like the children of paradise.” (Acceptance speech at the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony, Norway, 10 December 1993) “As a young man I decided to study the law with a view to using what little talent I had in the service of justice and the cause of my people. Like many before me and those of my generation.

I entered legal practice with a determination to employ my skills and training to at least alleviate the suffering of the oppressed if not to reserve it.” (Address at the Zionist Christian Church Easter Conference, Moria, 3 April 1994) “I have traveled the length and breadth of this country, met people, spoken to children, the aged, everyone I could touch or see. Everyone seeks peace. Everyone seeks a better life. Everyone wants to work together.” (Speech at a cultural dinner Midrand, just prior to the first democratic election, 7 April 1994) “The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world. Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement!” (Inaugural speech, Pretoria, 10 May 1994) “And so we must, constrained by and yet regardless of the accumulated effect of our historical burdens, seize the time to define for ourselves what we want to make our shared destiny.

…the purpose that will drive this government shall be the expansion of the frontiers of human fulfillment and the continuous extension of the frontiers of freedom.” (State of the National Address, Cape Town, 24 May 1994) “Africa shed her blood and surrendered the lives of her children so that all her children could be free. She gave of her limited wealth and resources so that all of Africa should be liberated. She opened her heart of hospitality and her head so full of wise counsel, so that we shall emerge victorious. A million times, she put her hand to the plough that has now dug up the encrusted burden of oppression accumulated for centuries. If freedom was the crown which the fighters of liberation sought to place on the head of mother Africa, let the upliftment, the happiness, prosperity and comfort of her children be the jewel of the crown.” (Speech at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) meeting of Heads of State and Government, 13 June 1994) “Freedom should not be understood to mean leadership positions or even appointments to top positions.

It must be understood as the transformation of the lives ordinary people in the hostels and the ghettos; in the squatter camps; on the farms and in the mine compounds. It means constant consultation between leaders and members of their organisations; it demands of us to be in constant touch with the people, to understand their needs, hopes and fears; and to work together with them to improve their conditions.” (Speech at an event to meet leaders in the Free State, 17 September 1994) “Comrade Joe Slovo was one of those who taught us that individuals do not make history. Yet, in each generation there are a few individuals who are endowed with an acument and personal bearing which enables them to direct the course of events.” (Address at the funeral of Joe Slovo, Johannesburg, 15 January 1995) “People come and go. Customs, fashions and preferences change. Yet the web of fundamental rights and justice which a nation proclaims must not be broken.” (Address at the inauguration of the Constitutional Court, 14 February 1995) “As we set about building a new South Africa, one of our highest priorities must be our children.

The vision of a new society that guides us should already be manifest in the steps we take to address the wrong done to our youth and to prepare for their future. Our actions and policies, and the institutions we create, should be eloquent with care, respect and love.” (Address at the launch of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Pretoria, 8 May 1995) “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth, those who care for and protect our people.” (Address at the dedication of Qunu and Nkalade schools, Qunu, 3 June 1995) “I waited over 70 years to cast my first vote. As the world held its breath, South Africans together made their mark to bring into being one of the truly remarkable events of this turbulent century. Once more, we affirmed a truism of human history: that the people are their own liberators. I chose to do it near the grave of John Dube, the first President of the ANC, the African patriot that had helped found the organisation in 1912.

I voted not only for myself alone but for many who took part in our struggle. I felt that with me when I voted were Oliver Tambo, Chris Hani, Chief Albert Luthuli and Bram Fischer. I felt that Josiah Gumede, GM Naicker, Dr Abdullah Abdurahman, Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Yusuf Dadoo, Moses Kotane, Steve Biko and many others were there. I felt that each one of them held my hand that made the cross, helped me to fold the ballot paper and push it into the ballot box.” (Speech at the first Bram Fischer Memorial Lecture, Johannesburg, 9 June 1995) “We, the people of South Africa, have made a decisive and irreversible break with the past. We have, in real life declared our shared allegiance to justice, non-racialism and democracy; our yearning for a peaceful and harmonious nation of equals. The rainbow has come to be the symbol of our nation.

We are turning the variety of our languages and cultures, once used to divide us, into a source of strength and richness.” (Message on National Reconciliation Day, 16 December 1995) “For generations to come, the abiding image of a patient citizenry in long voting queues on 27 April 1994 will remain deeply etched in the collective memory of the nation.” (Address at Freedom Day celebrations, 27 April 1996) “Reconstruction goes hand in hand with reconciliation.” (Address at the Thanksgiving for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Cape Town, 23 June 1996 “We give life to our nation’s prayer for freedom regained and a continent reborn.” (On signing the new South African Constitution into law at Sharpeville, 10 December 1996) “I seem to arrive more firmly at the conclusion that my own life struggle has had meaning only because, dimly and perhaps incoherently, it has sought to achieve the supreme objective of ensuring that each, without regard to race, colour, gender or social status, could have the possibility to reach for the skies.” (Address at the presentation of Cape Town bid a the 1

06th session of the International Olympic Committee, Switzerland, September 1997) “It was there in the hills and valleys of Qunu; in the rolling hills of KwaDlangezwa; in the Genadendal settlement; and along the Gariep, the Lekoa and the Luvuvhu rivers, that we first understood that we are not free.” (Address at the Freedom Day celebrations, Umtata, 27 April 1999) “Reconciliation is central to that vision that moved millions of men and women to risk all, including their lives, in the struggle against apartheid… It is inseparable from the achievement of a non-racial, democratic and united nation affording common citizenship, rights and obligations to each and every person, and respecting the rich diversity of our people.” (Special Debate on the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), 25 February 1999) “You have walked along the road of the heroes and heroines.

You have borne the pain of those who have known fear and learnt to conquer it… You have had to convince your enemies to believe a story difficult to believe, because it was true, that your burnished spear glittered in the rays of the sun, not to speak of hatred and death from them, but because you prayed that its blinding brilliance would tell them, whose ears would not hear, that you loved them as your own kith kin. After a long walk, we too have arrived at the starting point of a new journey. We have you, Madiba, as our nearest and brightest star to guide us on our way. We will not get lost.” (Address by then Deputy President of South African, Thabo Mbeki, to the National Assembly, Cape Town, 26 March 1999) “Let us never be unmindful of the terrible past from which we come – using that memory not as a means to keeps us shackled to the past in a negative manner, but rather as a joyous reminder of how far we have come and how much we have achieved.

My wish is that South Africans never give up on the belief in goodness, that they cherish that faith in human beings as a cornerstone of our democracy.” (Address during a Joint Sitting of Parliament to commemorate 10 years of democracy in South Africa, 10 May 2004) “In a cynical world we have become an inspiration to many. We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to belief in the goodness of people.” (Address during a Joint Sitting of Parliament to mark 10 years of democracy, Cape Town, 10 May 2004) “The people of Africa have learned the lessons of patience and endurance in their long struggle for freedom. In a cynical world we have become an inspiration to many. We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to belief in the goodness of people.” (Address during a Joint Sitting of Parliament to mark 10 years of democracy, Cape Town, 10 May 2004) “Those of us from that generation who are singled out to stay the longest, have to bear the pain of seeing our comrades go. We shared the joy of living and the pain.

We shared ideas, forged common commitments. We walked side by side through the valley of death…holding each other up when our steps faltered. And together we were privileged to savour the taste of freedom.” (Address at the funeral of Walter Sisulu, 17 May 2004) “The struggle against apartheid became one of the foremost moral struggles of the 20th century. Like few other liberation struggles, it drew the support of people from the widest range of political persuasions across the world.” (Fifth Steve Biko Lecture, Cape Town, 10 September 2004) “The campaign against AIDS is the task of all of us – young and old, government and community organisations, religious and traditional institutions, cultural and sporting bodies. AIDS knows no custom. It knows no colour. It knows no boundaries. We have to work together wherever we are to preserve our nation, our continent and humanity as a whole. I gave permission for the use of my Robben Island prison number 46664 as a weapon against AIDS.

I did so remembering how, in the long years on Robben Island, we never lost hope…” (Address at the 46664 South African concert, George, 19 March 2005) “When I was a boy brought up in my village in the Transkei, I listened to the elders of the tribe telling stories about the good old days, before the arrivals of the white man. I hoped and vowed then that, among the treasures that life might offer me, would be the opportunity to serve my people and make my own humble contribution to freed struggle.” (An excerpt from Long Walk to Freedom) “Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.” (From an interview for the documentary Mandela, 1994) Nelson Mandela's prison numbers – Nelson Mandela Foundation Nelson Mandela's prison numbers 5 August 1962: Arrested 7 November 1962: Sentenced to five years for leaving the country without a passport and incitement.

Begins serving his sentence at the Pretoria Local Prison Prisoner number: 19476/62 27 May 1963: Transferred to Robben Island 12 June 1963: Transferred back to Pretoria Local Prison Prisoner number: 11657/63 11 June 1964: Convicted of sabotage along with Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Raymond Mhlaba, Govan Mbeki, Elias Motsoaledi, Denis Goldberg and Andrew Mlangeni 12 June 1964: Sentenced to life imprisonment with Sisulu, Kathrada, Mhlaba, Mbeki, Motsoaledi, Goldberg and Mlangeni 13 June 1964: Arrives on Robben Island with Sisulu, Kathrada, Mhlaba, Mbeki, Motsoaledi and Mlangeni. Goldberg is sent to Pretoria as he is white Prisoner number: 466/64 31 March 1982: Transferred to Pollsmoor Prison with Sisulu, Mhlaba and Mlangeni.

They are joined by Kathrada in October Prisoner number: 220/82 28 February 1985: Goldberg is released 5 November 1987: Mbeki is released from Robben Island 12 August 1988: Taken to Tygerberg Hospital where TB is diagnosed 31 August 1988: Transferred to Constantiaberg MediClinic 7 December 1988: Transferred to Victor Verster Prison Prisoner number: 1335/88 15 October 1989: Sisulu, Kathrada, Mhlaba, Motsoaledi and Mlangeni released with Oscar Mpetha and Jeff Masemola 11 February 1990: Madiba released from Victor Verster Prison Top 10 at 10: 10 Ways Nelson Mandela Changed History - Black Enterprise Top 10 at 10: 10 Ways Nelson Mandela Changed History - Black Enterprise A- A A+ Prison Break On February 11, 1990, Mandela was freed from prison after serving 27 years behind bars in Victor-Verster Prison in

 Paarl, near Cape Town.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 for treason, so the release came as a surprise. Few can forget the image of him walking hand-in-hand with his then-wife, Winnie, into the surrounding pack of overjoyed supporters. He later addressed a crowd of 50,000 people on the balcony of Cape Town’s City Hall. “Our struggle has reached a decisive moment. Our march to freedom is irreversible,” Mandela said. 1993 Nobel Peace Prize Winner The former South African president won the award with Frederick Willem de Klerk for their efforts to change South African society. Mr. President After Mandela’s release, he resumed his leadership position in the African National Congress (ANC). He later went on to become the country’s first Black president in South Africa’s first multicultural election, in 1994. Mandela Takes a Bow In June of 1999, the oldest elected president of South Africa retires from the presidency and continues his involvement in different social and human rights initiatives. He was succeeded by Thabo Mbeki. A few years later, in 2004, he vows to step out of the public sphere.

Mandela Day In November 2009, the United Nations General Assembly announced July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day to honor his contribution to world peace and freedom. Conversations with Myself The book gives readers an inside look into the life of the private, political figure. Conversations with Myself , released worldwide in 22 editions and 20 languages, includes letters written in his prison cell to pages from the unfinished sequel to his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. The book launched in October 2010. For more content, read: Nelson Mandela biography | birthday, trivia | Political Leader | Who2 Nelson Mandela Biography Name at birth: Rolihlahla Mandela Nelson Mandela spent 27 years as a political prisoner in South Africa before becoming, an a remarkable twist, the country’s first black president. Nelson Mandela was a leading member of the African National Congress (ANC), which opposed South Africa’s white minority government and its policy of racial separation, known as apartheid. The government outlawed the ANC in 1960. Mandela was captured and jailed in 1962, and in 1964 he was convicted of treason and sentenced to life in prison.

He began serving the sentence as prisoner number 46664 on Robben Island, near Cape Town, but instead of disappearing from view, Mandela became a prison-bound martyr and worldwide symbol of resistance to racism. South African President F.W. de Klerk finally lifted the ban on the ANC and released Mandela in 1990. Nelson Mandela used his stature to help dismantle apartheid and form a new multi-racial democracy, and he and de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. Nelson Mandela was elected the country’s president in 1994. He served until 1999, when he was succeeded by his deputy Thabo Mbeki. Mandela remained a celebrated figure in South Africa and throughout the world until his death in 2013. His autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, was published in 1994.

Extra credit Nelson Mandela was also called ‘Madiba,’ a nickname taken from his clan… He said in Long Walk to Freedom that he was given the English name “Nelson” by his teacher on his first day at school… Nelson Mandela was married three times: to the former Evelyn Mase from 1944 to 1957, to Winnie Madikizela from 1958 to 1996, and to Graca Machel from 1998 until his death in 2013… Nelson Mandela’s wife Winnie became a powerful figure in her own right while Mandela was imprisoned; however, her entanglement in a series of scandals led to the couple’s estrangement in 1992, her dismissal from his cabinet in 1995, and their official divorce in 1996… Nelson Mandela has been played in the movies by Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, 2013), Morgan Freeman (Invictus, 2009), Sidney Poitier (Mandela and de Klerk, 1997), and Danny Glover (Mandela, 198

7).

Nelson Mandela's impact on American activism, politics and pop culture - CNN.com 1 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela became president of the African National Congress Youth League in 1951. Hide Caption Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela poses for a photo, circa 1950. Hide Caption Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela poses in boxing gloves in 1952. Hide Caption 4 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela in the office of Mandela & Tambo, a law practice set up in Johannesburg by Mandela and Oliver Tambo to provide free or affordable legal representation to black South Africans. Hide Caption 5 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – From left: Patrick Molaoa, Robert Resha and Mandela walk to the courtroom for their treason trial in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 6 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela married his second wife, social worker Winnie Madikizela, in 1958.

At the time, he was an active member of the African National Congress and had begun his lifelong commitment to ending segregation in South Africa. Hide Caption 7 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Nelson and Winnie Mandela raise their fists to salute a cheering crowd upon his 1990 release from Victor Verster Prison. He was still as upright and proud, he would say, as the day he walked into prison 27 years before. Hide Caption 8 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – A jubilant South African holds up a newspaper announcing Mandela's release from prison at an ANC rally in Soweto on February 11, 1990. Two days later, more than 100,000 people attended a rally celebrating his release from jail. Hide Caption 9 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela and Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda arrive at an ANC rally on March 3, 1990, in Lusaka, Zambia. Mandela was elected president of the ANC the next year.

Hide Caption 10 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – After his release in 1990, Mandela embarked on a world tour, meeting U.S. President George H.W. Bush at the White House in June. Hide Caption 11 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – At his Soweto home on July 18, 1990, Mandela blows out the candles on his 72nd birthday cake. It was the first birthday he celebrated as a free man since the 1960s. Hide Caption 12 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela and his wife react to supporters during a visit to Brazil at the governor's palace in Rio De Janeiro, on August 1, 1991. Hide Caption 13 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – South African President Frederik de Klerk, right, and Mandela shared a Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their work to secure a peaceful transition from apartheid rule.

Hide Caption 14 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela votes for the first time in his life on March 26, 1994. Hide Caption 15 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – On April 27, 1994, a long line of people snake toward a polling station in the black township of Soweto outside of Johannesburg in the nation's first all-race elections. Hide Caption 16 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela in Mmabatho for an election rally on March 15, 1994. Hide Caption 17 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela was elected president in the first open election in South African history on April 29, 1994. He's pictured here taking the oath at his inauguration in May, becoming the nation's first black president.

Hide Caption 18 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela, left, cheers as Springbok Rugby captain Francois Pienaar holds the Webb Ellis trophy high after winning the World Cup Rugby Championship in Johannesburg on June 24, 1995. Hide Caption 19 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – After one term as president, Mandela stepped down. Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, at right, was sworn in as his replacement in June 1999. Hide Caption 20 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela sits outside his former prison cell on Robben Island on November 28, 2003, ahead of his AIDS benefit concert at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. He was sent to the infamous prison five miles off the coast of South Africa, where he spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars.

Hide Caption 21 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela shows something to a group of international journalists visiting the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg in May 2004. Hide Caption 22 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela sits with his wife, Graca Machel, and his grandchildren at his son's funeral on January 15, 2005. He disclosed that his son, Makgatho Lewanika Mandela, had died of AIDS and said the disease should be given publicity so people would stop viewing it as extraordinary. Hide Caption 23 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – The "46664 Arctic" benefit concert was held in Tromso, Norway, on June 11, 2005. 46664 was Mandela's identification number in prison. Here, artists who performed at the event surround him. Hide Caption 24 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela attends an HIV/AIDs concert in Johannesburg on February 17, 2005.

Hide Caption 25 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Former U.S. President Bill Clinton leans down to whisper to former South African President Nelson Mandela during a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation on July 19, 2007, in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 26 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – A bronze statue of Mandela was unveiled in Parliament Square in London on August 29, 2007. The 9-foot statue faces the Houses of Parliament. Hide Caption 27 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela leaves the InterContinental Hotel after a photoshoot with celebrity photographer Terry O'Neil on June 26, 2008, in London. Hide Caption 28 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Mandela meets in 2009 with international children as part of his 46664 Foundation.

Hide Caption 29 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Nelson Mandela and his third wife, Graca Machel, arrive at the 2010 World Cup before the final match between Netherlands and Spain on July 11, 2010, at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto. Hide Caption 30 of 31 Photos: The evolution of Nelson Mandela The evolution of Nelson Mandela – Then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Mandela at his home in Qunu, South Africa, on August 6, 2012. Hide Caption 1 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A groundskeeper collects flowers left by visitors at Mandela's home in Johannesburg on December 9. Hide Caption 2 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A child checks out at a sculpture of Mandela by Marco Cianfanelli near Howick, South Africa, on December 9.

Hide Caption 3 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A mourner prays on a hill overlooking Johannesburg on Sunday, December 8. Hide Caption 4 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Young choir members attend a morning Mass on December 8 in memory of Mandela at the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, one of the focal points of the anti-apartheid struggle, in the Soweto district of Johannesburg. South Africans flocked to houses of worship for a national day of prayer and reflection to honor Mandela. Hide Caption 5 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A South African flag flies at half-staff to honor Mandela on December 8 at the South African High Commission in London's Trafalgar Square. Hide Caption 6 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A choir sings hymns during a special service in the honor of Mandela on December 8 at the Holy Family Church in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Palestinians mourned Mandela as a loyal champion of their cause. Hide Caption 7 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Doves are released for Mandela at the Grand Parade in Cape Town, South Africa, on December 8. Hide Caption 8 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A program is illuminated by the morning sunlight during a service held to honor Mandela on December 8 at First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. Hide Caption 9 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Areva Martin sings during the service at First A.M.E. Church on December 8. Hide Caption 10 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A portrait of Mandela is projected onto city hall in Paris on December 8. Hide Caption 11 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Children in a drum majors group perform a dance outside Mandela's old house on Saturday, December 7.

Hide Caption 12 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Mourners gather in front of the South African embassy in Tehran, Iran, to pay their respects on December 7. Hide Caption 13 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Crowds of people pay tribute to Mandela outside his Johannesburg home on December 7. Hide Caption 14 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Christians mourning the loss of Mandela say prayers on a hilltop overlooking Johannesburg on December 7. Hide Caption 15 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A woman prays at the Central Methodist Church as people remember Mandela on Friday, December 6, in Cape Town, South Africa. Hide Caption 16 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – The South African flag is flown at half-staff at the Union Buildings on December 6 in Pretoria, South Africa.

Hide Caption 17 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Delegates from countries all over the world stand for a moment of silence for Mandela on December 6 during the drawing ceremony for the 2014 World Cup in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil. Hide Caption 18 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Mandela is honored at the the Grammy Nominations concert at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on December 6. Hide Caption 19 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A woman cleans up outside the South African Embassy in Beijing where portraits of Mandela and flowers offered by people are placed on December 6. Hide Caption 20 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – European Union flags fly at half-staff at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on December 6.

Hide Caption 21 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Newspapers with Mandela on the front page are on sale in London on December 6. Hide Caption 22 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Early morning commuters stand in silence beside a statue of Mandela on December 6 in Parliament Square in London. Hide Caption 23 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – British Prime Minister David Cameron signs the book of condolence at the South African Embassy in central London following the announcement of Mandela's death. Hide Caption 24 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden pays a silent tribute to Mandela before his speech on December 6 at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. Hide Caption 25 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – An American flag flies at half-staff above the White House in Washington on December 6.

Hide Caption 26 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Australian and English cricket fans in Adelaide, Australia, observe a minute of silence December 6, to mark the passing of Nelson Mandela. Hide Caption 27 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A woman cries outside Mandela's house in Johannesburg after Mandela's death on Thursday, December 5. Hide Caption 28 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – South Africans sing as they pay tribute to Mandela in Johannesburg on December 5. Hide Caption 29 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – U.S. President Barack Obama pauses as he speaks about Mandela in the briefing room of the White House on Thursday, December 5. Obama said he was one of the "countless millions" who drew inspirations from Mandela's life.

Hide Caption 30 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – The marquee at New York's Apollo Theater honors Mandela on December 5. Hide Caption 31 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – An artist who goes by the name Franco the Great stands beneath a Mandela mural that he painted in New York's Harlem neighborhood more than 15 years ago. He later added Obama to the mural. Hide Caption 32 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – Keaton Anderson, 10, poses for a photograph while he and his father visit Mandela's statue at the South African Embassy in Washington on December 5. The statue is under renovation. Hide Caption 33 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – South Africans pay tribute to Mandela in Johannesburg following his death December 5. Hide Caption 34 of 35 Photos: Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death World reacts to Mandela's death – A candlelight vigil is held December 5 outside Mandela's Johannesburg home.

Hide Caption 1 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: A giant mosaic of Mandela made from 5,000 cups of coffee is displayed at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 2 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – GERMANY: A woman views a giant wooden head of Mandela in the city center of Essen in western Germany. Created by artist Jems Robert Koko Bi from the Ivory Coast, the sculpture is made of burned spruce wood and is supposed to stand for the fight for freedom. Hide Caption 3 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: A mural of Mandela is displayed near his former house in the Alexandra Township in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 4 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – ENGLAND: A six-foot bronze sculpture of Mandela is lifted onto a platform in front of the Royal Festival Hall in central London.

Cast in bronze, the sculpture was originally unveiled in 1985, five years before Mandela's release from prison. Hide Caption 5 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – ENGLAND: A foundry worker moves a crane after lifting a new statue of Mandela in Braintree, northeast of London. The nine-foot high bronze statue was started by British sculptor Ian Walters, who died in 2006, and completed by Nigel Boonham. Weighing approximately one ton, the sculpture now stands on the corner of Parliament Square facing the Palace of Westminster. Hide Caption 6 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – BRAZIL: A float by the Porto da Pedra samba school pays tribute to Mandela as it parades at the Sambadrome during the second night of Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro. Hide Caption 7 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: A woman holds a purse with Mandela's face on it in Johannesburg.

Hide Caption 8 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: Ceramic statues of Mandela are seen in a shop in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 9 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – INDIA: Artist Sudarshan Pattnaik works on a sand sculpture in Puri to wish Mandela a speedy recovery. The former South African president was in critical but stable condition at the time, according to officials. Hide Caption 10 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: A mural depicts Mandela near the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in the Soweto Township in Johannesburg. The church played a central role in the anti-apartheid struggle, opening its doors to shelter activists. Hide Caption 11 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – NIGERIA: A model displays an outfit by fashion designer Deola Sagoe that features faces of renowned African figures, including Mandela, during the launch of Ebony Life TV in Lagos.

Hide Caption 12 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: Construction workers add the final touches to a Mandela statue outside Howick, South Africa. The monument will form part of the museum that was opened in the Midlands Meander at the spot where Mandela was arrested on August 5, 1962. Hide Caption 13 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: From left, actress Hlubi Mboya, former boxer Baby Jake Matlala and Thomas van Schaik from Adidas unveil a piece of art during a Live Quest event showcasing paintings of key moments of the 2010 FIFA World Cup at the Adidas Jo'bulani Centre in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 14 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – NORTHERN IRELAND: A Mandela mural is displayed on a home in Northern Ireland.

Hide Caption 15 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: A mosaic portrait of Mandela made entirely out of Rubik's cubes is on display at the entrance of the Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel & Spa in Cape Town. It was created by artist Jan Du Plessis. Hide Caption 16 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: People gather by a Mandela statue in downtown Johannesburg. Hide Caption 17 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: South African bank notes featuring Mandela are seen at an office in Johannesburg. Hide Caption 18 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: A person bungee jumps off old cooling towers in Soweto painted with a mural featuring Mandela.

Hide Caption 19 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: South African artist Paul Blomkamp stands in front of the giant acrylic-on-canvas painting he made of Mandela at his studio in Johannesburg. He said he was drawn to Mandela because of his "exceptional energy." Hide Caption 20 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – ENGLAND: Graffiti of Mandela by Paul Don Smith is seen on a door in East London. Hide Caption 21 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – UNITED STATES: A fan wearing the colors of South Africa and a portrait of Mandela cheers in the second half of a soccer match between the U.S. and the Czech Republic in East Hartford, Connecticut. Hide Caption 22 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – POLAND: A clock in Warsaw is made out of an old vinyl record and painted with Mandela's headshot.

Hide Caption 23 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – INDIA: An elderly man in Bangalore holds a portrait of Mandela as he receives a free haircut to commemorate the 84th birthday of the former South African president in 2002. Hide Caption 24 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – FRANCE: Artwork featuring Mandela over the years is on display at an exhibition in Paris. Hide Caption 25 of 26 Photos: Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela Global tributes to Nelson Mandela – SOUTH AFRICA: Street art expressing love for Mandela is found in Cape Town. Hide Caption 7 ways Nelson Mandela changed South Africa - NBC News Dec 5 2013, 4:55 pm ET 7 ways Nelson Mandela changed South Africa by Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News Share advertisement Former South African president Nelson Mandela waving to the media as he arrived outside 10 Downing Street, in central London, for a meeting with the British Prime Minister, on Aug. 28, 2007.

Leon Neal / AFP - Getty Images file Almost two decades have passed since the end of legalized racial segregation in South Africa, yet the abolition of apartheid remains the biggest legacy of Nelson Mandela. Anyone aged 18 or under will not have witnessed the public separation of whites and blacks enshrined in law, yet that was the daily reality in a country where races had been kept apart since colonial times. South Africa continued to enforce racial division, denying blacks the right to vote, until Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 allowed him to begin negotiations with then-president Frederik Willem de Klerk. Apartheid ended with the arrival of multi-racial elections in 1994. This transformation was achieved almost entirely peacefully despite the country’s long history of racial violence and a brutal police force. On his release from captivity in 1990, Mandela’s African National Congress continued its historic commitment to an armed struggle against apartheid.

The 1993 assassination of ANC figurehead Chris Hani by right-wing white extremists heightened fears that the country was destined for a racial bloodbath, but Mandela issued an appeal: “Now is the time for all South Africans to stand together against those who, from any quarter, wish to destroy what Chris Hani gave his life for – the freedom of all of us.” Here are six other ways Mandela changed his country: Forsaking bloodshed The renunciation of violence was one of the defining moments of the political process, and earned Mandela and de Klerk the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. Forging a political path The transition formally turned South Africa into a democracy, bringing in one of the world's most progressive constitutions and allowing blacks not only into polling booths, but also into the corridors of power. In doing so, South Africa also lost its global pariah status. Apartheid had been punished by sanctions including a trade embargo and a ban on direct flights to dozens of countries, like the United States.

A global player In his inauguration speech in 1994, Mandela heralded the country’s re-entry onto the world stage, saying it should become “a rainbow nation” that would never again be seen as “the skunk of the world.” He said: “We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.” Peace and forgiveness Mandela’s biggest influence on the new South Africa was his personal determination that anger over the crimes of the past, including his 27 years as a political prisoner, should not motivate future laws and actions. Key to this was his 1995 establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that investigated historic human rights violations and gave vent to grievances. A cultural power That same year, South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup – the first event of its kind to be held there since the end of the apartheid-era sporting boycott.

Along with cricket, rugby was a game played and enjoyed almost exclusively by whites, making the event tough for Mandela’s fledgling democratic government to "sell" to a wider population. Despite resistance on both sides, Mandela swung the rainbow nation behind both the team – the Springboks – and the tournament, which South Africa won. That achievement, documented in the 2009 film “Invictus” starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, illustrated the extent of South Africa’s rehabilitation and also set the country back on the path of sporting success. A generous soul Mandela’s other key legacy is his extensive charitable work, including the creation of the Nelson Mandela Foundation , the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and 46664 – the HIV-AIDS initiative named after his prison number. In 2009, the United Nations declared that July 18, Mandela’s birthday, would be a worldwide day of community service known as Nelson Mandela International Day. Related:

Question: 46664 was the prison number of which famous political figure?
Answer: Nelson Mandela