Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Qunu in Transkei, South Africa, on 18 July 1918. His father, Hendry Mphakanyiswa Gadla, was the chief of Mvezo, which is a tiny village located on the banks of Mbashe River. At the age of 7, Mandela became the first person in his clan to receive formal schooling. It was at school that he received the name Nelson that was given to him by his teacher.
His father died when Mandela was 10 years old. However, this did not stop his formal learning. He attended a Wesleyan mission school that was located right next door the palace of the Regent. From there, he moved to the Clarkebury Boarding Institute, achieving his Junior Certificate in just 2 years instead of the usual 3.
In 1934, Nelson was 19 years old when he went to Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort. Here he became interested in boxing and running. From here, he moved to the Fort Hare University to get a Bachelor of Arts degree. It was here that he met Oliver Tambo, who became his lifelong friend and colleague. However, at the end of his first year in the university, Nelson became involved in the boycott of the Students' Representative Council as a protest against the university's policies. And, this prompted the university authorities to ask him to leave. He moved to Johannesburg, where he completed his degree via correspondence from the University of South Africa. He then began studying law at the Wits University.
While he was studying law, Mandela became involved in opposing the white minority government's policy of denying political, social and economic rights to the black majority of South Africa. He joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1942, and two years later he formed the Youth League along with Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and many other young Turks of that era.
By 1948, the National Party had a full-fledged policy of racial segregation in South Africa. But Mandela was also popular as he was in the forefront of the Defiance Campaign in 1952 and Congress of the People in 1955.
At that point, Mandela and Tambo were running a law firm that provided free or low cost legal advice and counsel to the blacks, who were until then did not have any legal representation.
Initially Mandela and his colleagues at the African National Congress were following the non-violent path to gain equality. But on December 5, 1956, he and 150 others were charged with treason. The trial lasted from 1956 to 1961, and all the accused were acquitted. Nonetheless, Mandela and his colleagues took the responsibility for shooting unarmed protestors in March 1960, and this led to the African National Congress being banned along with other anti-apartheid groups.
In 1961, Mandela became the commander of ANC's armed wing known as Umkhonto we Sizwe. He started a sabotage campaign against the government and military. In addition, he also developed plans for guerrilla warfare in case the sabotage plans failed. He started collecting funds for the armed wing from other countries and used this money to arrange paramilitary training for the activists. However, in 1962, he was arrested and jailed for 5 years for traveling abroad illegally and for inciting people to go on strike.
While Nelson Mandela was in prison, other ANC leaders were also arrested on July 11, 1963 and tried for treason. The leaders, including Mandela, were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Even while he was in prison, Mandela still managed to get his statement sent to ANC, who published it on June 10, 1980. The statement was to motivate people to continue struggling against apartheid.
In February 1985, the South African authorities offered to release Mandela if he renounced armed struggle. However, Mandela refused and stayed in prison until February 1990. Finally under international pressure, Mandela was released on February 11, 1990 by the orders of the F.W. de Klerk, the president of South Africa.
Nelson Mandela's first TV interview in 1961 by ITN News
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3074291
His father died when Mandela was 10 years old. However, this did not stop his formal learning. He attended a Wesleyan mission school that was located right next door the palace of the Regent. From there, he moved to the Clarkebury Boarding Institute, achieving his Junior Certificate in just 2 years instead of the usual 3.
In 1934, Nelson was 19 years old when he went to Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort. Here he became interested in boxing and running. From here, he moved to the Fort Hare University to get a Bachelor of Arts degree. It was here that he met Oliver Tambo, who became his lifelong friend and colleague. However, at the end of his first year in the university, Nelson became involved in the boycott of the Students' Representative Council as a protest against the university's policies. And, this prompted the university authorities to ask him to leave. He moved to Johannesburg, where he completed his degree via correspondence from the University of South Africa. He then began studying law at the Wits University.
While he was studying law, Mandela became involved in opposing the white minority government's policy of denying political, social and economic rights to the black majority of South Africa. He joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1942, and two years later he formed the Youth League along with Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and many other young Turks of that era.
By 1948, the National Party had a full-fledged policy of racial segregation in South Africa. But Mandela was also popular as he was in the forefront of the Defiance Campaign in 1952 and Congress of the People in 1955.
At that point, Mandela and Tambo were running a law firm that provided free or low cost legal advice and counsel to the blacks, who were until then did not have any legal representation.
Initially Mandela and his colleagues at the African National Congress were following the non-violent path to gain equality. But on December 5, 1956, he and 150 others were charged with treason. The trial lasted from 1956 to 1961, and all the accused were acquitted. Nonetheless, Mandela and his colleagues took the responsibility for shooting unarmed protestors in March 1960, and this led to the African National Congress being banned along with other anti-apartheid groups.
In 1961, Mandela became the commander of ANC's armed wing known as Umkhonto we Sizwe. He started a sabotage campaign against the government and military. In addition, he also developed plans for guerrilla warfare in case the sabotage plans failed. He started collecting funds for the armed wing from other countries and used this money to arrange paramilitary training for the activists. However, in 1962, he was arrested and jailed for 5 years for traveling abroad illegally and for inciting people to go on strike.
While Nelson Mandela was in prison, other ANC leaders were also arrested on July 11, 1963 and tried for treason. The leaders, including Mandela, were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Even while he was in prison, Mandela still managed to get his statement sent to ANC, who published it on June 10, 1980. The statement was to motivate people to continue struggling against apartheid.
In February 1985, the South African authorities offered to release Mandela if he renounced armed struggle. However, Mandela refused and stayed in prison until February 1990. Finally under international pressure, Mandela was released on February 11, 1990 by the orders of the F.W. de Klerk, the president of South Africa.
Nelson Mandela's first TV interview in 1961 by ITN News
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3074291
