By
James Nye
|
Nelson Mandela was born on July
18, 1918, into a royal family of the Xhosa-speaking Thembu tribe in the
South African village of Mvezo. While studying law as a young man, he
became involved in the movement against racial discrimination, forging
key relationships with black and white activists and in 1944 he joined
the African National Congress (ANC) and helped establish its youth
league, the ANCYL. Mandela’s commitment to activism intensified after
the 1948 introduction of the apartheid.
'Boxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, color and wealth are irrelevant' wrote Mandela in his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom
'Boxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, color and wealth are irrelevant' wrote Mandela in his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom
Wedding: This photograph taken
in 1957 shows South African anti-apartheid leader and African National
Congress (ANC) member Nelson Mandela posing with his wife Winnie during
their wedding
Visit to London: Nelson Mandela
visited the capital of the UK in 1962 to visit Oliver Tambo - a fellow
anti-apartheid activist - visible in the background is the Big Ben
clocktower and the Houses of Parliament
On 12 June 1964 - Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life for sabotage:
Mandela - a lawyer by training - told the court: 'I do not deny that I
planned sabotage. I did not plan it in a spirit of recklessness nor
because I have any love of violence. I planned it as a result of a calm
and sober assessment of the political situation that had arisen after
many years of tyranny, exploitation and oppression of my people by the
whites.'
This picture taken on June 16,
1964 shows eight men, among them anti-apartheid leader and African
National Congress (ANC) member Nelson Mandela, sentenced to life
imprisonment in the Rivonia trial leaving the Palace of Justice in
Pretoria with their fists raised in defiance through the barred windows
of the prison car
Historic: In this Feb. 11, 1990
file photo, Nelson Mandela, left, and his wife, Winnie, walk out of the
Victor Verster prison in Paarl, near Cape Town, South Africa, after
Mandela had spent 27 years in jail
Jubilant inhabitants of Soweto gather here at a mass African National
Congress (ANC) rally which was originally called for to celebrate the
unbanning of the ANC but turned out to be a celebration for the release
of Nelson Mandela in June 1990
Powerful ally: African National Congress leader
Nelson Mandela waves after he and U.S. President George Bush made
remarks on the South Lawn of the White House June 25, 1990 - the support
of the US public was key in securing his release
In this June 15, 1990 file
photo, Pope John Paul II, right, shakes hands with Nelson Mandela,
deputy leader of African National Congress, during a private audience at
the Vatican
South African anti-apartheid
leader and African National Congress (ANC) member Nelson Mandela (R)
shaking hands with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on the steps
of No 10 Downing Street in July 1990
Long road: ANC leader, South
African Nelson Mandela (L) and South African President, South African,
F.W.De Klerk (R) posing for a photograph with medals and diplomas as
they share the Nobel Peace Price 1993
Reconciliation and victory:
Nelson Mandela walks past Francois Pienaar in the line up before the
Rugby World Cup Final in Johannesburg's Ellis Park on June 24 1995, when
Nelson Mandela presented the Webb Ellis Trophy to Francois Pienaar
Return: South African President
Nelson Mandela visits 10 February 1995 his former cell in notorious
Robben Island prison off the coast of Cape Town where he spent 19 of his
27 years in jail
Pope John Paul II (L) and South
African President Nelson Mandela talking at the Presidential guest house
in Pretoria in September 1995
Royal visit: Queen Elizabeth II
of Great Britain and President Nelson Mandela during the British
monarch's state visit to South Africa in 1995, a year after Mandela took
office in 1994
Moral authority: In this Aug.
22, 1996 file photo, the Dalai Lama, left, walks hand-in-hand with South
African President Nelson Mandela prior to an official reception at the
presidential office in Cape Town, South Africa
Royal reception: In this July 9,
1996 file photo, South African President Nelson Mandela stands with
Queen Elizabeth II on his arrival at Buckingham Palace in London for a
state banquet in his honor
Welcome to London: Nelson
Mandela wearing a South African Olympic Squad tracksuit and a security
guard cross the road near Park Lane on their way from Hyde Park in 1996
Leader and philanthropist: South
African President Nelson Mandela (L) shares a joke with Microsoft
Chairman Bill Gates after their meeting at Mandela's residence in Cape
Town, in this file picture taken March 11, 1997
Two Icons: In this March 17,
1997 file photo, South African President Nelson Mandela, left, shows the
way to Britain's Princess Diana in Cape Town, South Africa, where they
discussed the threat of AIDS in the country
South African President Nelson
Mandela receives a cricket bat from the South African Cricket captain,
Hansie Cronje, during the lunch break on the third day of the Second
Test between South Africa and India at Newlands on January 4, 1997
Popular culture: Prince of Wales
(left) and South African President Nelson Mandela at a photocall with
the Spice Girls (left to right), Mel C, Emma, Mel B, Geri and Victoria
at the presidential residence Mahlamba Nalopfu in Pretoria in 1997
Prison: In this March 27,
1998 file photo, South African President Nelson Mandela, left, and U.S.
President Bill Clinton peer through the bars of prison cell No. 5, the
cramped, gray cell where Mandela was jailed
Unity: In this Aug. 11, 1998
file photo, South African President Nelson Mandela, (right), and
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat gesture during a meeting in Cape Town,
South Africa
South African Nobel Peace Prize
winner and iconic political prisoner Nelson Mandela (R) with Cuban
President Fidel Castro at a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the
GATT Agreement in 1998
Iconic figures: South African
President Nelson Mandela, left, and American pop singer Michael Jackson
arrive at a news conference in Cape Town in 1999
Sympathy: U.S. President George W. Bush looks up
at former South African President Nelson Mandela as they address the
media gathered outside the Oval Office of the White House November 12,
2001
Former President of South Africa, Nelson
Mandela, right, speaks during a press conference alongside British model
Naomi Campbell in Barcelona, Spain, before the 'Frock and Roll' benefit
concert in 2001
Charity: Former South African
President Nelson Mandela (L) and Irish rock star Bono pose together
after meeting at Mandela's residence at Houghton in Johannesburg, in
this May 25, 2002 photo
Talk show host and political giant: Former South
African president Nelson Mandela (L) poses with television personality
Oprah Winfrey in Henley, Johannesburg, in this December 6, 2002 picture
Two giants: Former South African President
Nelson Mandela lands a "straight left" to the chin of former World
Champion Muhammad Ali as South African Special Olympics Athlete Rofhiwa
looks on in June 2003
Soccer fan: Former President
Nelson Mandela receives an England team jersey with "Mandela" on the
back from captain David Beckham in Johannesburg in 2003
World leaders: British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, former South African President Nelson Mandela and
former US President Bill Clinton attending a gala night to mark the
centenary of the Rhodes Trust in 2003
Quick Kiss: Former South African
President Nelson Mandela kisses U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles, at the
Nelson Mandela AIDS Benefit Concert in Cape Town, South Africa Saturday
Nov. 29, 2003
Songstresses: Former South African President
Nelson Mandela, from left, with U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles and British
singer Annie Lennox on Robben Island in Cape Town, South Africa in 2003
Old friends: Former US President
Bill Clinton (R) sharing a joke with former South African President
Nelson Mandela (L) at Mandela's private residence in Johannesburg, South
Africa in 2005
West Indian cricket star, Brian Lara (L)
meetings with Nobel Peace Prize winner and iconic political prisoner
Nelson Mandela (R) at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Johannesburg, South
Africa in 2005
Former U.S. President Bill
Clinton (L) embraces former South African President Nelson Mandela
following remarks by Clinton during a visit to the Nelson Mandela
Foundation July 19, 2007 in Johannesburg
US actor Brad Pitt (top) with Former South
African President Nelson Mandela, after being appointed as a 46664
Ambassador (the number denotes Mandela's prison ID) in 2009
Reunited: South African
president and Nobel peace prize laureate Nelson Mandela (C) poses with
the Rugby World Cup held by South African coach Jake White (L) and South
African captain John Smit (R) in 2007
World hero: Former South African President Nelson Mandela waves to the
crowd at Soccer City stadium during the closing ceremony for the 2010
World Cup in Johannesburg, on July 11, 2010 and (right) holds the trophy
aloft in 2004
Nelson Mandela, aged 94, is seen
at his home in Qunu, South Africa during a visit from U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2012
Reflection: In this image dated
Sept. 13, 2011 taken by photographer Adrian Steirn, shows former
president Nelson Mandela's face reflected in a mirror
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