Nelson Mandela was born on 18th July 1918 and grew up in a beautiful rural village in South Africa called Qunu.

1
Nelson Mandela was born on 18th July 1918 and
grew up in a beautiful rural village in South
Africa called Qunu.
2
His father was a Thembu African chief. He did not
have much money but was very well respected by
people in his tribe.
Nelson spent his days looking after the cattle
and sheep, fishing and swimming in the streams.
3
At the time there was no free education in South
Africa so most children in the village were
unable to go to school and stayed at home doing
chores for their family.
Nelson worked hard and studied diligently so that
eventually he became a lawyer.
However, as he was the son of a respected chief,
Nelson was allowed to attend school.
4
During this time different racial groups had to
live completely separately under a system called
apartheid.
People were classified as being White,
Coloured, Indian or Black.
People of colour were not allowed to vote, were
given worse housing, medical care and amenities
than white people and had limited schooling and
job opportunities.
5
Nelson Mandela thought that these laws were wrong
so he became involved with a political party
called the African National Congress or ANC.
The ANC opposed apartheid and encouraged people
to resist the unfair laws. They believed in equal
rights for everyone.
6
Nelson Mandela and the ANC protested peacefully
at first. However, in 1960 when police opened
fire on a peaceful protest in Sharpeville,
killing 69 black Africans and wounding 186,
Nelson Mandela realised that non-violent protests
would not end the system of apartheid.
What do you think?
Is it sometimes necessary to use violence to
achieve something good?
Most of the peaceful protestors had been shot in
the back.
7
After the South African government made it
illegal to belong to the ANC, Nelson Mandela
argued that they should set up a military wing
and attack government targets. In 1963 he was
arrested for plotting to overthrow the government
and sentenced to life imprisonment.
One of the jails Nelson Mandela stayed in was
called Robben Island.
8
While in prison Nelson Mandela gained the support
of people all over the world who respected his
beliefs about equal rights for everyone. There
were many campaigns asking for Nelson Mandela to
be released from prison and to end apartheid in
South Africa.
9
Nelson Mandela was finally released from jail on
February 11th 1990 after spending 27 years in
prison.
10
Soon after Nelson Mandela was released, President
F.W de Klerk resigned and apartheid was
officially ended. This meant that all South
Africans were allowed to vote for the first time.
Nelson Mandela became the first black President
of South Africa on 10th May 1994 and held office
until 1999.
11
Nelson Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize for
his efforts to ensure all South Africans,
whatever their colour, respect each other and
live together peacefully. However, his support
for armed struggle against apartheid, after
non-violent protests failed, has caused some
people to be critical of him.
12
The ANC and Nelson Mandela were listed as
terrorists by the US government until 2008. In
many countries around the world, people fighting
for justice and equality are considered to be
terrorists.
What do you think this famous saying means?
One mans terrorist is another mans freedom
fighter.
13
Nelson Mandela has worked for peace and
reconciliation in South Africa since his release
from prison in 1990. Despite his oppression under
apartheid and suffering in prison, he did not
seek revenge. He said "You will achieve more
in this world through acts of mercy than you will
through acts of retribution."