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Nelson Mandela essay

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Introduction

Tuesday 19th May 2009 NELSON MANDELA His full name is Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. He was born in Transkei, South Africa on the 18th July 1918. His middle name 'Rolihlahla' means 'to pull a branch of a tree' or in a way that makes more sense' troublemaker'. Rolihlahla was the first person in his family to go to school, it is at school that his teacher gave him the English name 'Nelson'. Mandelas Mother was Nosekeni Fanny. Nelson's father was chief of the town of Mvezo which is a small village in the Umtata district, the family would later be moved to Qunu because his father position was taken from him. His father remained a member of the Inkosi's Privy council. Mandela's father died of tuberculosis when Mandela was only nine years old. Mandela was informally adopted by Dalindyebo after his father's death. His father had four wives and thirteen children. Mandela went to a Wesleyan mission school. Following Thembu tradition, he was 'initiated' when he was sixteen years old. ...read more.

Middle

Mandela then started work as an articled clerk at a Johannesburg law firm. While he was working with Witkin, Sidelsky and Edelman, Mandela completed his Bachelor of arts degree via correspondence at the university of South Africa, after he began law studies at the university of Witwatersrand where he met friends and future anti- apartheid political activists Joe Slovo, Harry Schwarz and Ruth First. After the victory of the 1948 Afrikaner dominated national party, Mandela started working with politics. Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo had a law firm 'Mandela and Tambo' which provided may blacks with free or low cost attorney representation. Mandela participated in many political events but I will skip to the main part now. Nelson became leader of ANC's armed wing in 1961 of which he was the co- founder. He campaigned sabotages against military and government targets. Mandela said that the move to armed struggle as a last resort because non violent protests against apartheid didn't work. On the 5th of August 1952, Nelson was arrested after being on the run for seventeen months. ...read more.

Conclusion

I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die" "It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership" By doing this essay I have learnt about the life of Nelson Mandela. He was a South African leader who held protests against the things he did not believe were right, he served many years in prison and lots of people did not want him to be in prison and one band did make a song about him. There are many books written about the life of Nelson Mandela and much information on the internet. He is a well known public figure who is now free. By Zoe Cope 9S ...read more.

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