- Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa on 18th July 1918 with the name Rolihlahla, later given the Christian name Nelson by a teacher.
- He joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1944 to oppose apartheid laws.
- Mandela studied law and opened the first black law practice in 1952 with Oliver Tambo; he helped launch the Defiance Campaign that year.
- In December 1956, he was arrested with 155 others on treason charges but was found not guilty in 1961.
- On 12th June 1964, he was convicted of planning to overthrow the government and sentenced to life imprisonment.
- He was released from prison on 11th February 1990 due to pressure from the public and fear of civil war.
- Mandela became President of the ANC in July 1991 and worked with de Klerk to end apartheid, earning them the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
- The first fair election for all races occurred on 27th April 1994, which Mandela voted in for the first time; this date is now Freedom Day.
- Mandela became the first black President of South Africa on 10th May 1994 and served until his retirement on 14th June 1999.
- In 2008, he turned 90 and celebrated with a tribute concert in Hyde Park, London, where he urged the wealthy to help the poor.
- Nelson Mandela passed away after an illness on 5th December 2013, remembered for his incredible work against apartheid.
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