Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, (born July 18, 1918), was the first democratically elected President of South Africa, having previously been a prominent anti-apartheid activist there. Initially committed to non-violence, he later became involved in the planning of underground armed resistance activities, such as sabotage. Mandela's 27-year imprisonment, much of which he spent in a tiny prison cell on Robben Island, became one of the most widely publicised examples of apartheid's injustices. Upon his release in 1990, the policy of reconciliation he pursued enabled a peaceful transition to a new, democratic South Africa - an enormous achievement which many South Africans believe would have been impossible without his influence.

Further reading

• Anthony Sampson; Mandela: the authorized biography; ISBN 0-6797-8178-1 (1999)
• Nelson Mandela; Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela; Little Brown & Co; ISBN 0-3165-4818-9 (paperback, 1995)
• Mary Benson; Nelson Mandela: The Man and the Movement
• Martin Meredith; Nelson Mandela: A Biography
• Barry Denenberg; Nelson Mandela: No Easy Walk To Freedom