Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a black South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election (an election in which each citizen can vote for the person of his/her choice).
Apartheid was a cruel and unfair policy implemented by the white-ruled government of the Republic of South Africa that created rules that segregated the non-white population from the white population, treating the non-white population as inferior (not equal to the white citizens as far as their freedoms and rights). Mandela opposed apartheid and spent his life fighting to overturn it. He was arrested numerous times. Because he became involved in a movement to overthrow the government, he was again arrested and convicted in 1962 to a life sentence and spent 27 years in prison before finally being released in 1990 by President F. W. de Klerk. He was released because of pressure from within Africa and from other countries opposed to his imprisonment and because of fears of a racial civil war. Mandela and de Klerk negotiated an end to apartheid and organized the 1994 multiracial general election in which Mandela led his ANC (African National Congress) party to victory and became the country’s first black President.
As President, Mandela had the power to get revenge on all white citizens for the unjust treatment of him and the entire black African population. But instead, in a show of kindness and goodwill, Mandela emphasized reconciliation (bringing agreement, harmony, and peace) between the country's black and white racial groups and created an agency investigate past human rights abuses. Two of his quotations are examples of his character: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” and “There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
As President, Mandela introduced measures to encourage land reform, combat poverty, and expand healthcare services. After serving one term as President Mandela left government and focused on combating poverty (which is a lack of money and possessions such as shelter, food, and clothing) and HIV/AIDS (which is a very serious disease virus that can cause death if not treated) through the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He won many honors including a Nobel Peace Prize.1
1 Primary Source: Nelson Mandela. (2018, January 24). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14:46, January 24, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nelson_Mandela&oldid=822102242
