Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
The liberartor of South Africa
A time line of Nelson Mandela's exploits:
- 1918, July 18 - Born Rolihlahla Mandela at Mvezo in the Transkei
- 1925 - Attends primary school near Qunu (receives the name ‘Nelson’ from a teacher)
- 1939 - Enrols at the University College of Fort Hare, in Alice
- 1940 - Expelled for joining a student protest
- 1942 - Begins to attend African National Congress (ANC) meetings informally
- 1944 - Co-founds the ANC Youth League (ANCYL); marries Evelyn Ntoko Mase
- 1951 - Elected President of the ANCYL
- 1952 - Defiance Campaign begins;
- 1956, 5 December - Arrested and later joins 155 others on trial for treason. All are acquitted by 29 March 1961
- 1958 - Divorces Evelyn Mase; Marries Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela
- 1960, 21 March - Sharpeville Massacre
- 30 March - A State of Emergency is imposed and he is among thousands detained
- 8 April - The ANC is banned
- 1961 - Goes underground; Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) is formed
- 1962:
- 11 January - Leaves the country for military training and to garner support for the ANC
- 23 July - Returns to South Africa
- 7 November - Sentenced to five years in prison for incitement and leaving the country without a passport
- 1963 - Sent to Robben Island
- 1990:
- 2 February - ANC is unbanned
- 11 February - Released
- 2 March - Elected ANC Deputy President
- 1994, 10 May - Inaugurated as President of the Republic of South Africa
- 1999 - Steps down after one term as President
- 2001 - Diagnosed with prostate cancer
- 2013:
- 8 June - Admitted to hospital
- 18 July - Spends his 95th birthday in hospital
- 1 September - Discharged from hospital
- 5 December - Passes away at home in Johannesburg
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
-- Nelson Mandela