Nelson joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1943 and a year later, along with Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and many others, he formed the ANC youth league. They planned to organise a mass support for the ANC and make it a more active organisation. This was because Nelson believed that the ANC’s approach to the white government wasn’t direct enough. I think that this was an immense turning point in Nelson’s life because this organisation had the best chance in causing reform in South Africa. I also think that the ANC was a big inspiration in Nelson Mandela’s life because he was taught to stand up for his freedom and also this led him to go on and become a founding member of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). Without Mandela’s influence to get the black South African’s working together in some sort of way, the end of apartheid may not have seemed like such a threat to the government. In 1948 the nationalist party came to power led by Dr. Daniel Malan, and his main policy was apartheid and he implemented new laws of racial discrimination and mixed marriages weren’t allowed. This was very shocking and therefore in response to this the ANCYL held many protests and boycotts. This made them unpopular with the government and therefore this was a way to end apartheid by bringing in various methods of violence.
The next turning point in his life was when he became president of the ANCYL and this gave him more authority in the organization and meant he could take a more active role in the fight against apartheid rule. On March 21, 1960 the Sharpeville massacre took place. Sharpeville was a village where there was a peaceful protest against the ‘pass laws’ which then turned very violent. Some believe that it was a massacre and some believe that it was self defence. This event was very important in Nelson Mandela’s life as it was a wake up call to bring about violence to give black South Africans their rights. Mandela helped set up the MK, and had been given the nickname the ‘Black Pimpernel’ because he would move around South Africa with different disguises and didn’t get caught by the police. He was then arrested on his way back to Johannesburg when he was disguised as a chauffer. When Mandela did escape out of South Africa he spread the news of what was happening in and around South Africa. He managed to get a lot of support from the people of Africa and others from many other places. I believe that the factor of violence was an important turning point as this was the reason why he was arrested and trailed. He was then sent to Robben Island for five years of hard labour. While serving his sentence, Nelson was charged with sabotage and then sentenced to life imprisonment. By being imprisoned in this place, everyone soon got to hear of him and supported him.
During his years in prison, the whole of Africa knew his name, this gave the ANC world recognition and even while in prison, and Mandela continued to be an icon of hope for his people who carried on the struggle against Apartheid in his absence. This led to Mandela becoming a worldwide political icon, as he was widely accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa. Another turning point in his life is when he was released from prison and became president. After coming out of prison, Nelson was seen as a man who stood up for what he believed in and stood by his word. Mandela was greeted by the press as soon as he returned from Robben Island. While he was in prison the protests did not halt and many other people gained his support. The protests did not only happen in South Africa but around the world. President De Klerk asked Nelson to stop the protests and in return would be free. On February 2nd 1990 De Klerk announced that all the bans were to be lifted from the ANC this is one of the most important turning points in nelson Mandela’s life it shows that people were starting to realise that the cause of equal rights for blacks was worthy. When Mandela was released in February 11th, 1990, he did not show any violence towards the white people. When Mandela got out of prison he was elected for as President of the ANC and President of South Africa. This is a major turning point because it was when he became a hero to the country. He wanted equal rights for both the black and white people and this meant that he was willing to put the past behind him and gained the support of many others. He won the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize leading on to become President of South Africa in 1994. Becoming president showed the abolition of the minority rule demonstrating that blacks and whites were now equal.
In conclusion, I think these are the most important turning points for Mandela, and in each one an overall outcome was achieved. Nelson being determined went through many ups and downs but eventually it all paid off and black South Africans were given their true rights. Overall, the major turning points were when he was put in prison and how he still managed to gain support while he was still in there. If Mandela had not grown into the person he did then South Africa may still be suffering from apartheid today. Mandela did not believe in revenge he just wanted to ensure that the world the future generations grew up in a better place, and that they wouldn’t have to suffer the way he suffered.
