Nelson Mandela, the man who took a stand in history

     Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in the village of QUNU, Mvezo, Transkei on July 18, 1918.  Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa Mandela's farther was the chief of Mvezo, while his mother, Noqaphi Nosekeni, was a daughter of the "Right hand house." Mandela never had the name Nelson, until he first went to school, and received the name Nelson from his teacher.  Later on, in 1927 when Mandela was nine years old, his father died of a lung disease. Later on when Mandela and he mother was in the middle of moving away from the village, Mandela was adopted by Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who was a cousin of Mandela's farther. When Jongintaba took in Mandela, he slowly started grooming him into the chief of the Xhosas'.

      At age sixteen, Mandela had to take up a family tradition that in the Xhosas' eyes, "will mold you into a fine young man." He had to do participate in the traditional circumcision. This ritual was a very important step in a Xhosas' life. If you don't do this family tradition, you will be considered as a boy, so you will be unable to inherit your father's wealth, marry, or officiate in tribal rituals.

     Later on Mandela started going to Clarkebury, college. He studied and worked so hard that instead of taking the usual three years to graduate, he took two. After completing his studies at Clarkebury, he started to go to Healdton Methodist, boarding school. As time passed in school, he saw many different perspectives in both in the books that he studied and in his teacher's lessons.

       Mandela continued his studies at Fort Hare, but left after participating in a boycott against the university's policies.

       When Mandela found out later on that Jongintaba Dalindyebo had arrange a marriage for him, he and Justice (one of Jongintaba Dalindyebo children) defied his orders, and stole two of his cattle and slaughtered them. Both Mandela, and Justice ran away to Johannesburg and called "Homeboy" who was employed as a gold mine in to have a place to go. But when he discovered that they had defied the orders of the Jongintaba Dalindyebo, he dismissed them from his shelter.

       Later on, Mandela contacted the Jongintaba, and told him that he had regretted his choice and persuaded him to let him continue his studies at Johannesburg.  At his stay in Johannesburg Mandela found a person named Walter Sisulu. Sisulu took Mandela under his wing after meeting him.

          In the beginning of the year 1943 Mandela went to Witwatersrand, He studied the law. Here he became involved with the movement against racial discrimination. Then in 1944, Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC). Soon Mandela's commitment grew as he as he fought against apartheid. They used boycotts, speeches, strikes, and any other nonviolent methods. As Mandela grew as a social symbol, the government had to act fast to stop him before they were over thrown. Mandela was involved in resistance against the rulings of the government's National Party's apartheid policies after 1948.

       On December 5, 1956 and one-hundred-fifty-five other activists were arrested and went on trial for planning to over throw the government   All of the defendants were acquitted in 1961, but on June 12, 1964, all those who was accused were sentenced to life imprison to section B on Robben Island. During his imprisonment, he met other leaders of politics. For instance he some leaders of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), African Resistance Movement (ARM), the National Liberation Front (NLF) and even a member of the South West African People's Organization  (SWAPO). Also his second wife, Winnie Mandela visited at this time in prison.  She was his messenger, telling the people of South Africa every word he said. He became so large as a political symbol, that the government had to launch his release.

         After twenty-seven years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela had made his first speech for nearly three decades. It was a grand speech. It moved Africans from all ages. When Mandela came back to the ANC, he and some other anti- apartheid organizations negotiated with the government to end apartheid. These negotiations also earns Mandela the Nobel Peace Prize.

       Soon after in 1994, he became the first African president of South Africa. This "inequality was no more. Freedom was able ti reign.