Introduction

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (18 July 1918 5 December 2013)

was a South African politician and activist. On April 27, 1994, he was
made the first President of South Africa elected in a fully represented
democratic election. Mandela was also the first black President of his
country.
Mandela was born in Mvezo, South Africa to a Thembu royal
family. His government focused on throwing out the legacy of apartheid
by ending racism, poverty, inequality, and on improving racial
understanding in South Africa. Politically a believer in socialism, he
served as the President of the African National Congress (ANC) from
1991 to 1997 and adopted new Constitution of South African in 1996
that prohibits all discrimination, based on language, religion, handicap
and sexual orientation, not only on racism. Internationally, Mandela was
the Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999.
Mandela received more than 250 honors, including the 1993
Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the
Soviet Order of Lenin. He is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name,
Madiba, or as Tata ("Father").
Mandela was sick for several years during his retirement. He
was hospitalized in late summer of 2013 from a continuous lung

infection. Mandela died on 5 December 2013 in Houghton Estate,

Johannesburg from the lung infection. He was 95 years old.

Early life
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in
Mvezo, Umtata (now Mthatha), Transkei, South Africa. He had thirteen
siblings by the same father, and two mothers. His parents were Gadla
Henry Mphakanyiswa and Nosekeni Nonqaphi. His given name was
Rolihlahla, a Xhosa name meaning pulling the branch of a tree or
informally, troublemaker. He was a member of the Thembu royal family.
On his first day of school, he was given the name Nelson by his teacher
Miss Mdingane. Giving children in Africa English names was a custom
among Africans during that period.
Mandela's father died when he was nine. Mandela then lived
with the local regent who sent him to school. He was the first member of
his family to go to a school. He was expelled from Fort Hare University
in 1941, because he led a group of students on political strike. After he
was expelled, Nelson found a job as a night watchman.

Anti-Apartheid Activity
In 1944, Mandela helped start the African National Congress
Youth League. He was soon a high-ranked leader of the group.
He wanted to free South Africa without violence, but the
government started killing and hurting protesters. He then started
Umkhonto we Sizwe with Walter Sisulu and other people in the African
National Congress that he admired, such as Mahatma Gandhi.
A trial was later held and became known as the Rivonia Trial.
Mandela was on trial because of his involvement in sabotage and
violence in 1962. He was sentenced to life in prison, and was sent to
Robben Island, but was transferred to Victor Verster Prison in 1988. In
1990, he was let out of Victor Verster Prison after 26.5 years. He left
prison after de Klerk removed a ban on the African National Congress.
He ordered Mandela's release. He then received the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1993, with former State President of South Africa, Frederik Willem de
Klerk.

Presidency
Mandela won the general election in April 1994. His
inauguration was in Pretoria on 10 May 1994. Many people around the
world saw his inauguration on television. The event had 4000 guests,
including world leaders from different backgrounds. Mandela was the
first South African President elected in a completely democratic election.
As South Africa's first black President, Mandela became head
of the Government of National Unity which was under controlled by the
African National Congress (or ANC). The ANC had no knowledge in
politics, but had representatives from the National Party and Inkatha. In
keeping with earlier promises, de Klerk became first Deputy President,
while Thabo Mbeki was chosen second.
Although Mbeki had not been his first choice for President,
Mandela soon trusted Mbeki throughout his presidency. This allowed
Mbeki to organize policy details. Mandela moved into the presidential
office at Tuynhuys in Cape Town. He would settle into the nearby
Westbrooke Manor. Westbrooke was renamed Genadendal. Preserving
his Houghton home, he also had a house built in his home village of
Qunu. He visited Qunu regularly, walking around the area, meeting with
local people who lived there, and judging tribal problems.
He faced many illness at age 76. Although having energy, he
felt left out and lonely. He often entertained celebrities, such as Michael

Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, and the Spice Girls. He became friends with
a number of rich business people, like Harry Oppenheimer and British
monarch Elizabeth II on her March 1995 state visit to South Africa. This
resulted in strong judgment from ANC anti-capitalists. Despite his
surroundings, Mandela lived simply, donating a third of his $552,000
wealth to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, which he had founded in
1995. In that same year, Mandela published his autobiography, Long
Walk to Freedom.
Although in favor of freedom of the press, Mandela was
important of much of the country's media because it was owned and run
by many middle-class whites. Mandela became known for his use of
Batik shirts, known as Madiba shirts, even on normal events. Mandela
had never planned on serving a second term in office. Mandela gave his
farewell speech on 29 March 1999, after which he retired. Mandela's
term ended on 14 June 1999. Thabo Mbeki succeeded Mandela as
President of South Africa.

 Nobel Prize
He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership for his antiapartheid activism in 1993. After receiving the prize he said:
"We stand here today as nothing more than a representative of
the millions of our people who dared to rise up against a social operation
whose very essence is war, violence, racism, oppression, repression
and the impoverishment of an entire people."

Personal Life
Mandela has been married three times and has six children. He
had seventeen grandchildren, and a growing number of greatgrandchildren. Thought physically non-emotional with his children, he
could be stern and demanding.

Mandela was married to Evelyn Ntoko Mase in October 1944.

They had two children. Mandela remained married to Evelyn until they
divorced in 1957. Evelyn died in 2004. He was married to Winnie
Madikizela in 1958. They had two daughters. The couple filed for
separation in 1992. They divorced in 1996. Mandela remarried on his
80th birthday in 1998 to Graa Machel. She was the widow of Samora
Machel. Machel was the former Mozambican president and ANC ally
who was killed in an air crash 12 years earlier.

Though publicly criticizing him on several events, Mandela liked

United States President Bill Clinton. Mandela personally supported him
during his impeachment trial in 1998.

Health & Death

On 27 March 2013, Mandela was hospitalized in Pretoria from a
lung infection. It was reported on 28 March that he was responding well
to treatment. Mandela was again hospitalized on 7 June from another
lung infection, On 23 June, his condition was announced to be critical.
On 26 June, it was announced that Mandela was put on life-support. On
4 July, Mandela's family announced that Mandela was under life-support
and he was in a permanent persistent vegetative state. The next day,
the South African government denied the fact that Mandela was in a
vegetative state. Mandela was discharged from the hospital on 1
September 2013.
Mandela died on 5 December 2013 at his home at Houghton
Estate, Johannesburg from complications of a lung infection, aged 95.
He was surrounded by his family when he died. His death was
announced by President Jacob Zuma.
On 6 December, Zuma announced a national mourning for ten
days. An event for an official memorial service was held at the FNB
Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday 10 December. He declared

Sunday 8 December a national day of prayer: "We call upon all our
people to gather in halls, churches, mosques, temples, synagogues and
in their homes to pray and hold prayer services and meditation reflecting
on the life of Madiba and his contribution to our country and the world."

Funeral & Burial

Mandela's body lied in state from 11 to 13 December at the
Union Buildings in Pretoria. A state funeral was held on Sunday 15
December in Qunu. David Cameron, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Bill
Gates, and Oprah Winfrey were there.
On 28 June Mandela's family were arguing about where to bury
Mandela. On 29 June the South African government announced that a
memorial service for Mandela will be held 10 to 14 days after his death
at Soccer City. On 1 July it was announced that if Mandela were to die
he might become the first non-British person to be honored at
Westminster Abbey. Queen Elizabeth II honored Mandela with a
thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey in early 2014. This made
Mandela the first non-British person to be honored at Westminster
Abbey. Mandela was buried in the village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape
of South Africa. Qunu is where he grew up.

Honors
In South Africa, Mandela is sometimes called by his Xhosa clan
name of Madiba. Nelson Mandela was honored with the following:

In 1990, Mandela received the Bharat Ratna Award in India.

In 1992 received Pakistan's Nishan-e-Pakistan.

In 1992, he was awarded the Atatrk Peace Award by Turkey. He

refused the award, because of human rights violations committed by
Turkey at the time.[65] He later accepted the award in 1999.

In 1993, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize with F. W. de Klerk for
their work during the civil rights revolution in South Africa.

In 1993, Mandela received the key of the city of Chicago, Illinois from
Mayor Richard M. Daley.

In 2007, Mandela was honored with a statue in Westminster Abbey,

London, England.

In 2009, the United Nations made 18 July Mandela Day.

In 2012, the Praia International Airport in Cape Verde was renamed

as the Nelson Mandela International Airport.

In 2013, a statue of Mandela was unveiled in the South African

embassy outside of Washington, D.C.

The city of Johannesburg awarded him Freedom of the City.

Sandton Square in Johannesburg was renamed Nelson Mandela

Square in March 2004.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was named in his honor.

The Nelson Mandela Bridge, in Johannesburg was also named in his

honor.

Mandela was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom by

then-President of the United States George W. Bush.

Mandela was awarded the Order of Canada.

Mandela was the first living person made an honorary Canadian

citizen.

Mandela was the last recipient of the Soviet Union's Lenin Peace
Prize from the Soviet Union.

Mandela first recipient of the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human

Rights.

Mandela was honored with the Order of the Aztec Eagle by the
Mexican government.

A park in Leicester, England was named Nelson Mandela Park was

named after Mandela.

Elizabeth II awarded him the Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St

John.

Mandela was also awarded the Order of Merit by Elizabeth II.