I would like you think about a famous historical figure. Which public figure from the past would you like to have met? In my case, Nelson Mandela. And you can wonder why. He is not a youtuber, he didn’t appear in television or he has never spoken about his private life. That is, he is not the prototype of actual famous that young people would like to meet or having a beer but for me is one of the most important humans in XXI century.
First, you must know about his childhood and how he become an influence people around the world to change our perspective. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a lawyer and activist against apartheid, politician and philanthropist. He born in South Africa in 1918 in a little village. His parents were Christians and they decided to send Mandela to a Methodist school when he was seven years. With the aim to become a private adviser for tembu royal house, Mandela started his high education in Clarkebury Boarding High School with occidental education. Was in this place when Mandela was creating his behaviour that it would changed radically the society in South Africa. In Fort Hare University he studied English, Anthropology, Politics, Native Peoples Administration and Romano-Dutch Law legislation with the intention of becoming an interpreter or employee of the Department of Indigenous Affairs.
Change of mentality
But not all was a bed of roses to become the great Nelson Mandela that joined both South Africas. He and Justice, his girlfriend, run away to avoid got married and he worked as a watchman but he was found out and his boss fired him for being a fugitive. However, they moved to Johannesburg and Mandelas’s cousin presented him for an important lawyer company called Witkin, Sidelsky y Eidelman where he met Gaur Rebed that he introduce Mandela in Communist South African Party and he was impressed for the amazing work made by south Africans with European origin, bantu aftricans, hindus and coluoreds.
Nevertheless, he never was part of the party due to the clash between religious ideas and because Mandela thought that the real problem was racism and not class struggle.
The beginnings of the movement
In 1950 Mandela was named of CNA and at the same time Mandela and other minority groups summoned a strike to defend freedom expression and to claim against apartheid. These disturbs was made without violence, inspired in Mahatma Gandhi. They didn’t want to fight only show throw a pacific strike their opinion. All of this politic movements were the cause of his arrest. In 1952, Mandela was arrested under Suppression of Communism Law together with 21 comrades. All were found guilty, but the nine-month sentence of forced labor was suspended for two years.
The jail
On 5 August 1962, police captured Mandela along with fellow activist Cecil Williams near Howick. Mandela and the other five accused admitted sabotage but denied that they had ever agreed to initiate guerrilla war against the government
In 1964, Mandela and his co-accused were transferred from Pretoria to the prison on Robben Island, remaining there for the next 18 years. Isolated from non-political prisoners in Section B. Rivonia Trial prisoners spent their days breaking rocks into gravel, until being reassigned in January 1965 to work in a lime quarry. The political prisoners took part in work and huger strikes, the latter considered largely ineffective by Mandela, to improve prison conditions, viewing this as a microcosm of the anti-apartheid struggle. From 1967 onwards, prison conditions improved; black prisoners were given trousers rather than shorts, games were permitted, and the standard of their food was raised. In 1969, an escape plan for Mandela was developed by Gordon Bruce, but it was abandoned.
In April 1982, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prision in Tokai, Cape Town and Mandela was moved to Victor Verster Prision near Paarl. It was the last jail where Mandela was.
End of Apartheid
Mandela proceeded on an African tour, meeting supporters and politicians in Africa and Europe. Encouraging foreign countries to support sanctions against the apartheid government. He met President George H.W Bush, addressed both Houses of Congress and visited eight cities, being particularly popular among the African-American community. The Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) began in December 1991 at the Johannesburg World Trade Centre, attended by 228 delegates from 19 political parties. With the election set for 27 April 1994, the ANC began campaigning, opening 100 election offices and orchestrating People's Forums across the country at which Mandela could appear, as a popular figure with great status among black South Africans.
He won the elections and his inauguration took place in Pretoria on 10 May 1994, televised to a billion viewers globally. In December 1994, Mandela published Long Walk to Freedom, an autobiography based around a manuscript he had written in prison, augmented by interviews conducted with American journalist Richard Stengel.
First, you must know about his childhood and how he become an influence people around the world to change our perspective. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a lawyer and activist against apartheid, politician and philanthropist. He born in South Africa in 1918 in a little village. His parents were Christians and they decided to send Mandela to a Methodist school when he was seven years. With the aim to become a private adviser for tembu royal house, Mandela started his high education in Clarkebury Boarding High School with occidental education. Was in this place when Mandela was creating his behaviour that it would changed radically the society in South Africa. In Fort Hare University he studied English, Anthropology, Politics, Native Peoples Administration and Romano-Dutch Law legislation with the intention of becoming an interpreter or employee of the Department of Indigenous Affairs.
Change of mentality
But not all was a bed of roses to become the great Nelson Mandela that joined both South Africas. He and Justice, his girlfriend, run away to avoid got married and he worked as a watchman but he was found out and his boss fired him for being a fugitive. However, they moved to Johannesburg and Mandelas’s cousin presented him for an important lawyer company called Witkin, Sidelsky y Eidelman where he met Gaur Rebed that he introduce Mandela in Communist South African Party and he was impressed for the amazing work made by south Africans with European origin, bantu aftricans, hindus and coluoreds.
Nevertheless, he never was part of the party due to the clash between religious ideas and because Mandela thought that the real problem was racism and not class struggle.
The beginnings of the movement
In 1950 Mandela was named of CNA and at the same time Mandela and other minority groups summoned a strike to defend freedom expression and to claim against apartheid. These disturbs was made without violence, inspired in Mahatma Gandhi. They didn’t want to fight only show throw a pacific strike their opinion. All of this politic movements were the cause of his arrest. In 1952, Mandela was arrested under Suppression of Communism Law together with 21 comrades. All were found guilty, but the nine-month sentence of forced labor was suspended for two years.
The jail
On 5 August 1962, police captured Mandela along with fellow activist Cecil Williams near Howick. Mandela and the other five accused admitted sabotage but denied that they had ever agreed to initiate guerrilla war against the government
In 1964, Mandela and his co-accused were transferred from Pretoria to the prison on Robben Island, remaining there for the next 18 years. Isolated from non-political prisoners in Section B. Rivonia Trial prisoners spent their days breaking rocks into gravel, until being reassigned in January 1965 to work in a lime quarry. The political prisoners took part in work and huger strikes, the latter considered largely ineffective by Mandela, to improve prison conditions, viewing this as a microcosm of the anti-apartheid struggle. From 1967 onwards, prison conditions improved; black prisoners were given trousers rather than shorts, games were permitted, and the standard of their food was raised. In 1969, an escape plan for Mandela was developed by Gordon Bruce, but it was abandoned.
In April 1982, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prision in Tokai, Cape Town and Mandela was moved to Victor Verster Prision near Paarl. It was the last jail where Mandela was.
End of Apartheid
Mandela proceeded on an African tour, meeting supporters and politicians in Africa and Europe. Encouraging foreign countries to support sanctions against the apartheid government. He met President George H.W Bush, addressed both Houses of Congress and visited eight cities, being particularly popular among the African-American community. The Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) began in December 1991 at the Johannesburg World Trade Centre, attended by 228 delegates from 19 political parties. With the election set for 27 April 1994, the ANC began campaigning, opening 100 election offices and orchestrating People's Forums across the country at which Mandela could appear, as a popular figure with great status among black South Africans.
He won the elections and his inauguration took place in Pretoria on 10 May 1994, televised to a billion viewers globally. In December 1994, Mandela published Long Walk to Freedom, an autobiography based around a manuscript he had written in prison, augmented by interviews conducted with American journalist Richard Stengel.
