AAASM.ORG
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF BLACK PEOPLE THROUGH
AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF BLACK PEOPLE THROUGH
AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION
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| AAASM Black History Research Project |
| Nelson Mandela July 18, 1918 - |
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His father
was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela himself was educated at University
College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He
joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the
ruling National Party's apartheid policies after 1948. He went on trial for treason in
1956-1961 and was acquitted in 1961.
After the banning of the ANC in 1960, Nelson Mandela argued for the setting up of a
military wing within the ANC. In June 1961, the ANC executive considered his proposal on
the use of violent tactics and agreed that those members who wished to involve themselves
in Mandela's campaign would not be stopped from doing so by the ANC. This led to the
formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five
years' imprisonment with hard labour. In 1963, when many fellow leaders of the ANC and
the Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested, Mandela was brought to stand trial with them for
plotting to overthrow the government by violence. His statement from the dock received
considerable international publicity. On June 12, 1964, eight of the accused, including
Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at
Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, he was at Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on
the mainland.
During his years in prison, Nelson Mandela's reputation grew steadily. He was widely
accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol
of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to
compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.
Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. After his release, he plunged himself
wholeheartedly into his life's work, striving to attain the goals he and others had set out
almost four decades earlier. In 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC held inside
South Africa after the organization had been banned in 1960, Mandela was elected
President of the ANC while his lifelong friend and colleague, Oliver Tambo, became the
organisation's National Chairperson.
was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela himself was educated at University
College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He
joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the
ruling National Party's apartheid policies after 1948. He went on trial for treason in
1956-1961 and was acquitted in 1961.
After the banning of the ANC in 1960, Nelson Mandela argued for the setting up of a
military wing within the ANC. In June 1961, the ANC executive considered his proposal on
the use of violent tactics and agreed that those members who wished to involve themselves
in Mandela's campaign would not be stopped from doing so by the ANC. This led to the
formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five
years' imprisonment with hard labour. In 1963, when many fellow leaders of the ANC and
the Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested, Mandela was brought to stand trial with them for
plotting to overthrow the government by violence. His statement from the dock received
considerable international publicity. On June 12, 1964, eight of the accused, including
Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at
Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, he was at Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on
the mainland.
During his years in prison, Nelson Mandela's reputation grew steadily. He was widely
accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol
of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to
compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.
Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. After his release, he plunged himself
wholeheartedly into his life's work, striving to attain the goals he and others had set out
almost four decades earlier. In 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC held inside
South Africa after the organization had been banned in 1960, Mandela was elected
President of the ANC while his lifelong friend and colleague, Oliver Tambo, became the
organisation's National Chairperson.
Winnie Mandela, born in 1936, South
African political activist, known for
advocating militant resistance to
apartheid, a policy of rigid racial
segregation legally enforced in South
Africa until 1991. Originally named
Nomzamo Madikizela, she was born in
Bizana, in what is now the province of
Eastern Cape, and received the name
Winifred when she was baptized. She
was educated in Johannesburg as a
medical social worker. In 1958 she
married Nelson Mandela, a lawyer who
was deeply involved with the African
National Congress (ANC), an
antiapartheid organization that was
banned in 1960. When he was
convicted and sentenced to life
imprisonment in 1964, she continued
his work. She herself was imprisoned
and held in solitary confinement from
1969 to 1970. In 1976 Mandela was
declared a banned person and was
ordered to restrict her movements, but
she defied these orders.
Mandela was implicated in 1988 when
members of the Mandela United
Football Club (who served as her
bodyguards) beat four young black
men, one of whom died in the Mandela
home. In 1991 she was convicted of
kidnapping and assault in relation to
the incident and sentenced to six years
in prison. Mandela appealed the
convictions. In 1992, after new
evidence surfaced regarding these
and other charges, Mandela resigned
her position as head of the ANC's
social welfare department. In addition,
she was stripped of a regional position
in the ANC's Women's League and
gave up her seat on the ANC's
National Executive Committee. In 1993
Mandela successfully appealed the
assault charge, but her kidnapping
conviction was upheld. The court,
however, waived her prison term and
instead ordered her to pay fines. In
December 1993, despite her criminal
conviction and her public criticisms of
ANC leadership, Mandela was elected
president of the ANC's Women's
League.
In 1990 Nelson Mandela was released
from prison after the ban on the ANC
was lifted. In April 1992 he announced
that he and his wife were separating.
After Mandela was elected president of
South Africa in the country’s first
multiracial elections in 1994, he
appointed Winnie Mandela deputy
minister of arts, culture, science, and
technology. She held this post until
April 1995, when she was fired due to
ongoing conflicts with Mandela and his
administration. The Mandelas were
divorced in March 1996. After the
divorce, she readopted her maiden
name and is commonly known as
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Madikizela-
Mandela was elected to the South
African parliament in 1999. In 2003
she was found guilty of insurance
fraud and resigned from parliament
and the Women's League.
African political activist, known for
advocating militant resistance to
apartheid, a policy of rigid racial
segregation legally enforced in South
Africa until 1991. Originally named
Nomzamo Madikizela, she was born in
Bizana, in what is now the province of
Eastern Cape, and received the name
Winifred when she was baptized. She
was educated in Johannesburg as a
medical social worker. In 1958 she
married Nelson Mandela, a lawyer who
was deeply involved with the African
National Congress (ANC), an
antiapartheid organization that was
banned in 1960. When he was
convicted and sentenced to life
imprisonment in 1964, she continued
his work. She herself was imprisoned
and held in solitary confinement from
1969 to 1970. In 1976 Mandela was
declared a banned person and was
ordered to restrict her movements, but
she defied these orders.
Mandela was implicated in 1988 when
members of the Mandela United
Football Club (who served as her
bodyguards) beat four young black
men, one of whom died in the Mandela
home. In 1991 she was convicted of
kidnapping and assault in relation to
the incident and sentenced to six years
in prison. Mandela appealed the
convictions. In 1992, after new
evidence surfaced regarding these
and other charges, Mandela resigned
her position as head of the ANC's
social welfare department. In addition,
she was stripped of a regional position
in the ANC's Women's League and
gave up her seat on the ANC's
National Executive Committee. In 1993
Mandela successfully appealed the
assault charge, but her kidnapping
conviction was upheld. The court,
however, waived her prison term and
instead ordered her to pay fines. In
December 1993, despite her criminal
conviction and her public criticisms of
ANC leadership, Mandela was elected
president of the ANC's Women's
League.
In 1990 Nelson Mandela was released
from prison after the ban on the ANC
was lifted. In April 1992 he announced
that he and his wife were separating.
After Mandela was elected president of
South Africa in the country’s first
multiracial elections in 1994, he
appointed Winnie Mandela deputy
minister of arts, culture, science, and
technology. She held this post until
April 1995, when she was fired due to
ongoing conflicts with Mandela and his
administration. The Mandelas were
divorced in March 1996. After the
divorce, she readopted her maiden
name and is commonly known as
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Madikizela-
Mandela was elected to the South
African parliament in 1999. In 2003
she was found guilty of insurance
fraud and resigned from parliament
and the Women's League.
| Hear Him See Him Play Now Nelson Mandela talking about Ubuntu "Ubuntu" is an ancient African word, meaning "humanity to others" ... |