Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was a revolutionary politician and philanthropist who accomplished many great things in his life and is primarily known for his anti-apartheid agenda and wise words. Mandela was a South African native, having been born there in 1918, and later passing away in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2013. While many people know the name, they are unaware of Mandela’s accomplishments and what he truly stood for. Mandela was influenced strongly by Albert Lutuli and the worldwide known figure, Mahatma Ghandi.
Facts about Nelson Mandela:
- Though Nelson accomplished so much and had displayed such a prominent and altering role on society through his philanthropy, he lived in a miniscule village and was the initial person in his family to have any educational influence through schooling.
- Mandela was a pacifist, but later co-founded a militant wing of the African National Congress, known as the “Spear of the Nation”. Mandela made this change in the 1960s when he objected to his previous stance on nonviolent protests.
- Mandela was the president of South Africa for a period of time. He was in office from 1994 to 1999 and was actually the first black president of South Africa.
- Mandela was a lawyer. Mandela was initially in running for chieftainship but renounced it to study law and subsequently became a lawyer. He even established the first black law practice in South Africa.
- Mandela was famously arrested in which he was sentenced to life in prison. However, what many people do not know is that he actually had the opportunity to be released, but declined it due to his personal principles. He blatantly expressed his opinion when he was offered to be free by saying “A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.”
- Mandela was hospitalized for an infection in his respiratory system for an extended amount of time measuring over about a month’s span. This was shortly before he passed away in 2013, and was considered to be an in extremely serious condition of health with infections in his lung. He was even put on life support for half of a year.
- Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for nonviolently abolishing the Apartheid regime in 1993. However, he has been given over two hundred awards in his life span, showing just how great of an impact Mandela had on this world. Needless to say, there will not be another man like Mandela.