Nelson Mandela

This PPT explains the life history of Nelson Mandela

1. Power Point Presentation V. MURUGAN, Assistant Professor of History, Vivekananda College, Tiruedakam West Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.

2. Nelson Mandela

3. Early life Born on 18 th July 1918. In Mevzo near Umtata , South Africa. Father - Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa Mandela . Mother - Nosekeni Fanny . His family was quite wealthy. Mandela had a happy childhood. At the age of nine he lost his father.

4. Education Got his school education at Methodist School . Where he was given the name “ Nelson ”. He studied at Fort Hare College . There he met Oliver Tambo . Where he first confronted with the injustice of the supremacy of the Whites. After a strike Mandela and Tambo were expelled from the college. He joined at Witwatersrand University with the help of Walter Sisulu. Where he finished his Law .

5. As a Revolutionary In August 1943, marched in support of a successful bus boycott to reverse fare rises. Disagreed with Mda's approach. In December 1947 supported an unsuccessful measure to expel communists from the ANCYL, considering their ideology un-African. In 1947, elected to the executive committee of the ANC’s Transvaal Province branch .

6. Gaining increasing influence in the ANC, Mandela and his party cadre allies began advocating  direct action against apartheid . In 1950, he was elected as the President of the African National Congress Youth League. On 22 nd June 1952, at a Durban rally Mandela addressed an assembled crowd of 10,000, initiating the campaign protests. For which he was arrested and briefly interned in Marshall Square prison. These events established Mandela as one of the best-known black political figures in South Africa. Mandela was elected as regional president in October 1952 . As a Revolutionary …

7. Mandela’s demand … The preservation of full citizenship for everyone. Direct representation of all South-Africans in Parliament. The right of Trade Unions, Education and culture for everyone. Compulsory school attendance for everybody.

8. Mandela and ANC … In 1952, Mandela became the President of the ANC and ANCYL. He travelled throughout the country to call upon the people to protest . because of this Defiance Campaign he received a nine months suspended sentence with probation . In 1956, Mandela and others were accused of high treason. In 1961, the defendants were set free. 1960, after the Sharpeville massacre the ANC was forbidden.

9. Mandela and ANC … Mandela changed his attitude and accepted that violence was necessary . In 1961, he founded the armed wing of the ANC called Umkhonto we Sizwe ( Spear of the Nation ). Because of the forbidden journeys abroad he was sentenced to five years imprisonment . Police found the documents of the ANC incriminated Mandela and other members for treason against the government. They were condemned to lifelong imprisonment.

10. At Prison …. He spent 18 years of his prison time on Robben Island Lived in a 4 sqm- cell Black prisoners weren‘t considered to be human beings they developed the so-called “ Mandela University “. Where they passed on the political views and the history of the ANC. 1982, they were sent to Pollsmore Prison . 1985, Mandela refused a possibility to get free because he would have to stop fighting violently.

11. Many people demonstrated for Mandela‘s release. Many important politicians visited him. In 1988, he was moved to a prison near Paarl , where he didn‘t feel like a prisoner any more. Frederik Willem de Klerk became leader of the National Party and president of south Africa. He abolished the ban on the ANC after the pressure of the ANC and foreign organizations. With the help of de Klerk Mandela was released in 1990.

12. Peace Work From 1990 to 1994 after his release, he started to negotiate with all sections of the population. Mandela and de Klerk received the Noble Peace Prize. In 1994 , Mandela became the first democratically elected president of South Africa. He fought for better relationships between the black and the white population. He developed a new constitution . In 1999, Mbeki, who was also his successor in the ANC, replaced him as president. In 2000, he worked as a mediator in Burundi and helped to develop a peace treaty.

13. AIDS Work In January 2005, Mandela’s second son died of AIDS. In 2002, Nelson Mandela‘s worldwide campaign “46664” against AIDS was founded. 46664 was his prison number on Robben Island . The aim of the organization is to inform people about AIDS and how important it is to protect oneself. Live events with famous people such as Will Smith are organized.

14. Death After suffering from a prolonged respiratory infection , Mandela died on 5 December 2013 at the age of 95, at his home in Houghton. Zuma publicly announced his death on television. He proclaimed ten days of national mourning .  Mandela's body lay in state from 11 to 13 December at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.  A State funeral was held on 15 December in Qunu . 90 representatives of foreign states travelled to South Africa to attend memorial events.