NELSON MANDELA The first president of South Africa
Sep 21, 2014
NELSON MANDELAThe first president of South
Africa
OVERVIEWBorn in 1918 and died in 2013 at the age of 95
Best known as an activist and the first president of South Africa & for serving 27 years in prison
Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993
Helped bring an end to apartheid and has been a global advocate for human rights
He was a civil rights leader & became a symbol for his people.
DEFINE APARTHEID According to Merriam-Webster dictionary,
apartheid is a former social system in which black people and people from other racial groups did not have the same political and economic rights as white people and were forced to live separately from the white people.
AKA the policy of “racial segregation.”
EARLY LIFEBorn on July 18, 1918 into a royal family of
Thembu tribe in the South African village of Mvezo
His father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, served as chief of the tribe.
Trained to be a tribal leader
His birthname is Rolihlahla. He got the nickname Nelson from a teacher in school.
EDUCATIONThe first in his family to receive a formal
education.Attended the elite University of Fort Hare in
1939 Studied law at the University of
Witwatersrand
POLITICAL CAREERIn 1944, Mandela joined the African National
Congress (ANC). Became a leader in ANC in 1948
At first, he pushed hard for the Congress & the protesters to follow Mohandas Gandhi’s non-violence approach (passive resistance).
However, this approach did not work so he used a more radical approach.
Soft power + hard power = smart power
“It would be wrong and unrealistic for African leaders
to continue preaching peace and nonviolence at a time
when the government met our peaceful demands with
force. It was only when all else had failed, when all
channels of peaceful protest had been barred to us, that
the decision was made to embark on violent forms of
political struggle.”
PRISON YEARSHe was classified
as a terrorist by the South African government and sent to prison for treason in 1963.
Released in 1990 because of the international pressure from the world.
FAMOUS QUOTE “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic
and free society in which all persons live
together in harmony and with equal
opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to
live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is
an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
“Education is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world.”
INFLUENCES
Influence on civil rights, human equality, peace and forgiveness
Improved citizens’ livesBuilt schools and hospitals Formed a multiethnic government to oversee
the country’s transitionA devoted champion for peace and social
justice in his own nation and around the world
CHARACTER & CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS
- Very determined on his goals. - Merciful & a generous soul
- Extensive charitable work, including the creation of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, and the 46664.
- Died on December 5, 2013 from a recurring lung infection
- Current president of South Africa: Jacob Zuma
WORK CITED Mandela, Nelson. Long Walk to Freedom: The
Autobiography of Nelson Mandela. Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1994.
"Nelson Mandela - Biographical". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 5 Jun 2014. <http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html>
"Nelson Mandela." Kid's Biography:. Ducksters, n.d. Web. 03 June 2014.
"Nelson Mandela." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 04 June 2014.
QUESTIONS 1. What does Mandela symbolize for his people?
2. Do you feel the government was justified for imprisoning Mandela for 27 years? Explain.
3. What is the social change that Mandela wants to make?
4. Do you think Mandela used soft power or hard power or both? Explain.