Nelson Mandela

Law, Johannesburg and political organization

Born Rolihlahla Mandela in Mvezo in 1918, Mandela became involved in politics after moving to Johannesburg. He joined the African National Congress and helped establish its Youth League in 1944. His work as a lawyer and organizer developed within a system that restricted the political rights, movement and economic opportunities of the Black majority.

Resistance and a change in strategy

Mandela participated in campaigns against apartheid, including the Defiance Campaign of 1952. Following intensified repression and the banning of the ANC, he helped establish its armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, in 1961. This history matters: his later identification with reconciliation should not erase the movement’s changing strategies or the conditions under which those decisions were made.

The Rivonia Trial and imprisonment

Arrested in 1962, Mandela was subsequently among the defendants in the Rivonia Trial and received a life sentence in 1964. He spent much of his imprisonment on Robben Island before transfers to other prisons. During these decades he became an international symbol, while organizing within South Africa and pressure from abroad continued through many organizations and individuals.

Negotiation and democratic government

Mandela was released in February 1990 and became a central participant in negotiations to end apartheid. He shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with F. W. de Klerk. Following the 1994 democratic election, he became South Africa’s president. Political settlement involved compromises and collective negotiations; neither its achievements nor its unresolved problems can be attributed to one person alone.

One presidential term and a continuing legacy

Mandela left the presidency in 1999 after one term and continued public work through foundations and campaigns. His autobiography Long Walk to Freedom became a widely read account of the struggle and his own life. He died in 2013. His legacy includes democratic transition and reconciliation, alongside continuing debates about inequality and the limits of the post-apartheid settlement.

Selected works & milestones