Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013) was an active member of the fight against apartheid in South Africa. The son of a Xhosa chief, Mandela studied law at the University of Witwatersrand and in 1944 joined the African National Congress (ANC). After the Sharpeville massacre (1960), he abandoned his nonviolent stance and helped found the “Spear of the Nation,” the ANC’s military wing.
Before Mandela was imprisoned, he had begun to study law at the University of Witwatersrand through correspondence. But that wouldn’t be the end of his law studies. In 1962, Mandela was imprisoned for over 27 years for trying to overthrow the apartheid regime. Mandela enrolled in the University of London’s correspondence program and received a Bachelor of Law degree, all while he was still in prison.
One of the more notable sicknesses Madiba dealt with during his days of imprisonment was tuberculosis. Because of the harsh working conditions while he as imprisoned, Mandela eyesight was permanently damaged from the glare of the sun while he did hard labour.
He retained wide support among South Africa’s black population and became an international cause célèbre. His magnanimous personality helped to heal the rift between the white and black populations.
Released by Pres. F.W. de Klerk in 1990, he replaced Oliver Tambo as president of the ANC in 1991. In 1993 Mandela and de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to end apartheid and bring about the transition to nonracial democracy. In 1994 he was elected president in the country’s first universal suffrage elections; by the time he stepped down in 1999, Mandela was the most universally respected figure of postcolonial Africa.
Quotes and sayings by Mandela:
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.”
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
“One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.”
“I am fundamentally an optimist. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
“I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
“Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.”
