Who was Nelson Mandela ?

His full name was RolihlahlaDalibhunga Mandela but he wasnicknamed Nelson by his firstteacher. His official nickname wasMadiba.

He was born July 18th (the eighteenth)1918 (nineteen eighteen) in Mvezo,South Africa.

His father was a counselor to the Thembu royal family.

At his time, South Africa was still a dominion of theCommonwealth.

He got married three times and had six children.

He studied law in Fort Hare university and became alawyer. He was also an activist, a politician and especiallya freedom fighter. He joined the ANC (African NationalCongress) in 1942.

He became the president of the ANC Youth League and committed himself into fighting against Apartheid. He led a sabotage campaign in nineteen sixty-one and was

put in jail because he was accused of treason / conspiracy to overthrow the apartheid government. He stayed in prison for 27 years.

During his years in prison, Mandela was accepted as themost significant black leader in South Africa and becamea symbol of the anti-Apartheid movement. He evenrefused to be freed against changing his politicalposition.

When he was released on February 11th 1990, heconvinced president De Klerk to abolish apartheid and toorganise multiracial elections in 1994.

He became South Africa's first black president fromMay the tenth nineteen ninety-four to June thefourteenth nineteen ninety-nine.

He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 with F. DeKlerk, former South African president.

He died on December 5th (the fifth) 2013 (two thousandand thirteen) in Johannesburg, South Africa.