Nelson Mandela: The Journey and Legacy

816 Words2 Pages

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 as youngest son of Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela, who had 13 children. He was a privileged child and belonged to a respected family where he was well-prepared to follow his father’s footsteps. As his father died when he was just nine years old, he experienced the value of culture, traditions, customs to people, as well as the value of the community early on as he had to take over huge responsibilities (Mazinter, 2013).

During his first day at primary school in Qunu, the name Nelson first appeared as school custom to assign Christian names to every new student (Norgaard, 2014). In 1939, Nelson Mandela enrolled as a student at the University of Fort Hare, which was the only place for higher education for black people in South Africa. During the first semesters, Mandela attended all required courses and soon became elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC), where he promoted the needs of the students. It was soon, when he was expelled from the University for the participation at a student’s protest. Coming home, the …show more content…

In 1961, however, he realized that this approach will not bring the necessary changes and end the apartheid in South Africa. As a consequence, Mandela created the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) as an armed extension of the ANC. This body was dedicated to sabotage and guerilla war tactics to bring the necessary changes (Biography.com, 2014). Thereafter, Mandela got arrested and imprisoned for five years for illegally leaving South Africa in order to get support and training. In 1963, he participated on a sabotage known as the Rivonia Trial, which led to the life imprison for political offense and sabotage of Mandela and seven followers in Robben Island (Mvezo, 2014). It was in 1964, when he eternalizes himself with his famous speech in front of the court (The Power of Forgiveness,

Open Document