Interesting Facts About Nelson Mandela

Tuesday, April 21, 2009



  • Nelson Mandela’s original name was Rolihlahla Mandela. (Nelson was added later.) He was born in “Black” Transkei, Africa on July 18, 1918.

  • Mandela is the world's most celebrated man who has held a political office while being jailed for nearly 30 years. Despite the fact that his freedom was stripped from him, he continued to stand up for his beliefs for his South African Brothers and Sisters who are still struggling with the affects of Apartheid.

  • Nelson’s peaceful boyhood was spent cattle herding and other rural pursuits. When his father died, Nelson’s rich and powerful relative took custody of him. Nelson Mandela was influenced by his African heritage of ritual and taboo. His values and attitudes were shaped by traditions and his royal privileges.

  • He was sent to boarding school and later to Fort Hare Missionary College. He was expelled from college for helping to organize a strike against the white colonial rule of the institution. He then became involved in other protests against the white colonial rule. In doing so he set out for personal and national liberation. He ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage. Later, he graduated from the University of South Africa with a degree in law. He joined a law firm as an apprentice.

  • Nelson MandelaIn 1942,Nelson joined the African National Congress (ANC), which, at the time, was polite to the government. Soon Nelson Mandela had persuaded the ANC to use boycotts and strikes against the government instead of being polite. He was arrested for civil disobedience, and was not allowed to attend gatherings.

  • In his spare time, Nelson Mandela studied to become a lawyer so that he could protect blacks. Work as a lawyer strengthened his feelings against apartheid (which segregated and discriminated against blacks in South Africa). Nelson was particularly active during the 1950’s.

  • After the Shapesville massacre in which many blacks were killed, the white rule banned the ANC. Nelson went underground. He created the MK, which was the military portion of the ANC. Nelson arranged military training in Algeria for the MK members. He launched a sabotage campaign. On his return from Algeria he was arrested for going between countries without a passport, and was tried for sabotage and Africa attempting to overthrow the government. He spent the next 28 years in prison. Before going to prison he said, “Make every home, every shack or rickety structure into a learning center.”

  • When he got to Robben Island where he was to be imprisoned Nelson was told to jog to the prison gate. He refused. He and the other prisoners started a hunger strike to get better living conditions. The prisoners won. They also found ways to communicate with other prisoners. A few methods were: writing messages on toilet paper, hiding messages in the bottom of food buckets, slipping notes in the dirty dishes (they made the dishes extra dirty for this) so the cook prisoners could read them, and taping notes to the inside rim of toilet seats.

  • While Nelson was in prison he was offered freedom if he would stop his violent actions. He refused this offer.

  • During Nelson Mandela’s jail time he had secret talks with South Africa’s president, P.W. Botha, and his successor, F.W. de Klerk. As a result, in 1990 he was freed.

  • He was appointed Deputy President of the ANC. The ANC decided to suspend its 30-year armed struggle. In July of 1991, Nelson Mandela was appointed President of the ANC. Nelson decided to join the government and other parties to negotiate South Africa’s future. Finally everyone came to agree on a majority rule constitution. This constitution states that racial discrimination it is against the law.

  • In 1993, Nelson Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with F.W. de Klerk forAfrican Flag dismantling apartheid, and in 1994 he became the first democratically elected South African president.

  • In June of 1999, Nelson Mandela retired from the presidency, and returned to live in the town of Qunu, Transkei, in which was born.

  • Restful retirement was not on the cards as Mandela shifted his energies to battling South Africa's AIDS crisis raising millions of dollars to fight the disease.

  • His struggle against AIDS became starkly personal in early 2005 when he lost his only surviving son to the disease.

  • The country also shared the pain of Mandela's humiliating divorce in 1996 from Winnie Mandela, his second wife, and watched his courtship of Graca Machel, widow of Mozambican President Samora Machel, whom he married on his 80th birthday in 1998.

  • In 2007 Mandela celebrated his 89th birthday by launching an international group of elder statesmen, including fellow Nobel peace laureates Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter, to tackle world problems including climate change, HIV/AIDS and poverty.

68 comments:

Monique Strydom said...

Nelson Mandela loves koeksisters and coke.
He loves singing and was one of the people who organised concerts in whilst in jail.

Anonymous said...

Nelson Mandela is an amazing and inspiring man for millions to look up to. These are just some of the basic factsabout this exeptional man.

Anonymous said...

yaa
i think he is the best person i have ever known\

Sekret_Person said...

Mandela came to my school once and talked to us. It was undoubtedly the best speech I have and probably will ever hear in my life!! This is truely a great, great man.

lil joka a.k.a l.j.harris said...

wow he'z kinda kool i wanna be like him when i grow up
lolz

Anonamous said...

Nelson Mandela is the best person i studied ever

by the way Sekret_Person is a lier it can happen onley if you live in south africa or any part

Anonymous said...

nelson mandela was an amazing man, his life was such and interesting story to study :)

Unknown said...

well id like to know if and when he died because i use this for a school project!!

VickyyLouisee said...

This site is very useful as i have writen an extra 2 pages in my school project. I highly recommend using this site as it has very precise information. Also RE: the comment above: no Nelson Mandelas hasn't died yet.

From Vicky (13)

la diabla said...

Mr. Mandela a truly respected,prestigious man whom I admire.I pray for his health and happiness same happiness he brought into our hearts.and for this person
Nicki mr. Mandela is alive, check your facts before you post things up.

alriel said...

wow he's very interesting.i might even be the president of south america.i wish he was in my family he would give me lots of money.

Anonymous said...

I love him.

Anonymous said...

He is so cool. He is a great person!! : )

Habiba Emam said...

he is so cool i wish to be like him
he is realy inspiring and had a realy adventures life wow
hes 1 lucky man

GLORY said...

NELSON MANDELA IS VERY INSIRING AND HE HAD A HARD LIFE NELSN IS A MILLION LOVE YU NELSON

Chewy Sausage. said...

Nelson Mandela is fit. And i like his fashion sense, yumm!

Anonymous said...

cool lol

i want to be like hi

Anonymous said...

He is an inspire to every one every one should know him as a born true leader

Nay said...

I truely admire Nelson,
heyy By the way, i need to know asap can anyone tell me about nelson's religion i cant find much.and you all seem to know what you are talkin about :) much apriciated
<3 NAY

Anonymous said...

Nelson mandela is inspiring... He kept trying even though he fell so much...

=)

Chloe said...

i think he really knew what he was doing and to stay in prison for 27 years and not hate the people who imprisoned him is a truly great thing he deserved to be president!! :)
Chloe (10)

Anonymous said...

this is sick info

custodian said...

We are not sure what mr Mandela's religion is probably in his ancestors
(lawyers are not known for their religious tendencies)also his jail no was 4 666 4 but is always pronounced four double six,six four!
Why not four triple six four(4 666 4)any connotations?

Anonymous said...

i love nelson mandela with out you our world would be in a mess thats why i choose you for my history project called history heroes you changed history and for that you rock

Anonymous said...

because of nelson mandela the african's are free today

Anonymous said...

i havne't read any yet but it is probably something i already know

Anonymous said...

he is insprational

Anonymous said...

i think that this man is a great example to what the world should be like today- rasism is wrong and Nelson Mandela is a grreat person!

Anonymous said...

Nelson was a brave man and everyone should follow in his steps.

Moses Ahun said...

A true Legend who is an inspiration to all. Selfless and forgiving and gives hope that we can live together if we choose to accept, respect and be willing to share with each other the resources bequeathed to all mankind natually.

BRAVO SIR NELSON MANDELA, you are my hero!!!

Anonymous said...

did anyone else think he was a basketball player?

Anonymous said...

did anyone else think he was a basketball player?

Anonymous said...

scuks man he is such a cool man

Anonymous said...

he should play rugby bro
omg

Anonymous said...

scuks mean man hore

Anonymous said...

WOW he was an amazing and inspiring man
INCREDIBLE WHAT HE HAD DONE!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

so inspirationaol he sets a great example

Unknown said...

brillant person im very proud of him

P.O.P said...

NameNelson Mandela is one of the best

Unknown said...

I think that this person is a very good leader becuase of all the accomplishesments he has done. (:

Unknown said...

His parents named him Nelson because they thought the name sounded "white". They were hoping that with a name like that, he would not have to face as many hardships as other blacks.

Christian Skinner (age 11) said...

BTW to the person who was a bit rude to nikki, you are wrong because she said IF and when, she never said that he had died! you need to read peoples comments before you be rude about them!

Anonymous said...

You dont know him

? man said...

when nelson was young he looked like Mohammed Ali[undefeated champ boxer]
doesn't he.SOMEBODY SHOULD ADMIT

Mongameli Jerry said...

his 1st visit to Qunu when he got out of jail...he spent the night in my Father's house.Thats a fact nobody knows...
Good man...Our grand father,spent a lot of time with him during his spell as a president when he would visit Qunu.

Mongameli Jerry said...

his 1st visit to Qunu when he got out of jail...he spent the night in my Father's house.Thats a fact nobody knows...
Good man...Our grand father,spent a lot of time with him during his spell as a president when he would visit Qunu.

Anonymous said...

Nelson Mandela. Enough said.

Anonymous said...

Nelson Mandela. Enough said.

Anonymous said...

Nelson Mandela gave up nearly gave up his entire life just so people would get treated the same way i think he is the best man ever to live except from Jesus Christ himself.




Anonymous said...

this man is a legend from folklore

Anonymous said...

maybe he doesnt know him, but that doesnt mean he cant say his opinion..

Anonymous said...

is he dead yet

Awe said...

:) tee hee
the legend of zelda is awesome!!

Awe said...

the legend of zelda is awesome!! :) teehee

Unknown said...

he is very brave and im surprised he is still alive ( no affence )this is sophie gerrior i just odnt have a n account

Unknown said...

this guy is awesome but i didnt think he would still be alive

Anonymous said...

Nelson is the g

Unknown said...

Brilliant for Mandela to get freedom for south Africa,

Anonymous said...

he is a great leader for south africans

Anonymous said...

fair play Nelson Mandela is a good man and always will be. Doing work on him in school and never ever had a better project in my hole childhood!

Anonymous said...

nelson mandela was a truly faithful man who put his trust in God. that is why he was able to do these things.God is great, God is great, God is great.

Tan said...

Nelson Mandala is in hostpertile

Anonymous said...

This has some very interesting facts in this post, that I didn't know about. I believe that Nelson Mandela was such an amazing man for virtually stopping the apartheid. Heaps of people look up to him, now I know why. Nelson Mandela definitely changed South Africa for the good of the people and he was never selfish, he always thought of everyone but himself.

Anonymous said...

Melson mandela one of the best ever

Anonymous said...

it wasnt terrorisim, it was fighting for what truly is right because racisim is the worst thing mankind has ever known...

Anonymous said...

I bet what your writing is fake

Anonymous said...

id shag him