Nelson Mandela Is Born

Setting the scene

Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in the village of Mvezo in South Africa's Eastern Cape. A Thembu chief gave him the English name Nelson on his first day at school; he was raised in the royal court after his father's death.

What happened

Mandela studied law, joined the African National Congress, and co-founded its Youth League. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 for sabotage against apartheid, serving 27 years mostly on Robben Island before release in 1990.

Why it still matters

He negotiated a peaceful transition, shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with F. W. de Klerk, and served as South Africa's first Black president from 1994 to 1999. Memorable detail: Mandela's Robben Island prison number was 466/64—the 466th prisoner of 1964.

Background

He spent 27 years imprisoned before leading a democratic South Africa.