Nelson Mandela facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
His Excellency
Nelson Mandela
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Mandela in May 2008
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| 1st President of South Africa | |
| In office May 10, 1994 – June 14, 1999 |
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| Deputy | Thabo Mbeki F. W. de Klerk |
| Preceded by | F. W. de Klerk |
| Succeeded by | Thabo Mbeki |
| Secretary General of Non-Aligned Movement | |
| In office September 2, 1998 – June 14, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Andrés Pastrana Arango |
| Succeeded by | Thabo Mbeki |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
July 18, 1918 Mvezo, Umtata (now Mthatha), South Africa |
| Died | December 5, 2013 (aged 95) Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Spouses | Evelyn Ntoko Mase (1944–1957) Winnie Madikizela (1957–1996) Graça Machel (1998–2013) |
| Children | Madiba Thembekile Makgatho Lewanika Makaziwe Maki Zenani Zindziswa |
| Residences | Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Alma mater | University of Fort Hare University of London External System University of South Africa University of the Witwatersrand |
| Signature |  |
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (born July 18, 1918 – died December 5, 2013) was a famous South African leader and activist. He became the first President of South Africa on April 27, 1994. This was the first time everyone in South Africa, no matter their race, was allowed to vote. Mandela was also the first black President of South Africa.
Contents
Early Life
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo, South Africa. He came from a Thembu royal family. He had many brothers and sisters from his father and two mothers. His birth name was Rolihlahla. In the Xhosa language, this name means "pulling the branch of a tree" or "troublemaker".
Nelson's father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, passed away when Nelson was twelve. After his father's death, Mandela went to live with a local regent. The regent made sure he went to school. Nelson was the first person in his family to attend school. His teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave him the name Nelson.
Later, in 1941, he was removed from Fort Hare University. This happened because he led a student strike about political issues. After leaving the university, Nelson found a job working as a night watchman.
Fighting Apartheid
In 1944, Mandela helped create the African National Congress Youth League. This was a group for younger members of the African National Congress (ANC). He quickly became an important leader in this group.
Mandela's main goal was to end apartheid. Apartheid was a system in South Africa that separated people by race. It treated non-white people unfairly. At first, Mandela tried to achieve equality through peaceful actions. But in 1961, he started an armed group called Umkhonto we Sizwe. This name means "Spear of the Nation". He formed it with Walter Sisulu and other ANC members.
Mandela went into hiding from the South African government. He planned to damage buildings to protest apartheid. The government found him and he was sent to prison for life. He was held at Robben Island and later moved to other prisons.
In 1990, the South African president, Frederik Willem de Klerk, ordered Mandela's release. In 1991, Mandela became the president of the ANC. He worked with de Klerk to peacefully end apartheid.
Becoming President
In 1994, South Africa held a general election. For the first time, people of all races were allowed to vote. Mandela was elected as the first President in a truly democratic election. His government worked hard to end racism, poverty, and inequality in South Africa.
Mandela became well-known for wearing Batik shirts, often called Madiba shirts. He wore them even at formal events. He lived a simple life. He donated a third of his wealth to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. He started this fund in 1995. In the same year, Mandela wrote his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.
Mandela never planned to serve a second term as president. He gave his farewell speech on March 29, 1999. He announced his retirement from politics. Mandela's term ended on June 14, 1999. Thabo Mbeki became the next President of South Africa.
Public Retirement
In June 2004, Mandela announced he was fully retiring from public life. He famously said, "Don't call me, I will call you." He stopped attending public events and gave very few interviews.
Illness and Death
Mandela was ill for several years during his retirement. In the late summer of 2013, he was hospitalized due to a serious lung infection. Nelson Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013. He died in Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, from a respiratory tract infection. He was 95 years old.
Mandela's body lay in state from December 11 to 13. This took place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. A state funeral was held on Sunday, December 15, 2013. He was buried in the village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This was the village where Mandela grew up. Many important people attended, including David Cameron, Barack Obama, Raul Castro, Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey.
Queen Elizabeth II honored Mandela with a special service in early 2014. This service was held at Westminster Abbey in London. Mandela was the first non-British person to be honored there.
Personal Life
Mandela married Evelyn Ntoko Mase in October 1944. They had four children together. Mandela and Evelyn divorced in 1957. He then married Winnie Madikizela in 1958. They had two daughters. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. He later married Graça Machel in 1998. They remained married until Mandela's death in 2013.
Honors and Awards
Nelson Mandela received over 250 honors during his life. These included the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the US and the Order of Lenin from the Soviet Union. People often called him by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba, or as Tata ("Father"). Mandela was seen as a hero. His actions gave hope to many people around the world.
Here are some of his many honors:
- In 1990, Mandela received the Bharat Ratna Award in India.
- In 1992, he received Pakistan's Nishan-e-Pakistan.
- In 1992, he was given the Atatürk Peace Award by Turkey. He first refused it due to human rights concerns at the time. He later accepted the award in 1999.
- In 1993, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize with F. W. de Klerk. They won for their work to end apartheid in South Africa.
- In 1993, Mandela received the key to the city of Chicago, Illinois.
- In 2007, a statue of Mandela was placed in Westminster Abbey, London, England.
- In 2009, the United Nations declared July 18 as Mandela Day.
- In 2012, the Praia International Airport in Cape Verde was renamed the Nelson Mandela International Airport.
- In 2013, a statue of Mandela was unveiled outside the South African embassy in Washington, D.C..
- The city of Johannesburg gave him the Freedom of the City award.
- Sandton Square in Johannesburg was renamed Nelson Mandela Square in March 2004.
- The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was named in his honor.
- The Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg was also named after him.
- Mandela received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush.
- Mandela was awarded the Order of Canada.
- He was the first living person to be made an honorary Canadian citizen.
- Mandela was the last person to receive the Soviet Union's Lenin Peace Prize.
- He was the first person to receive the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights.
- Mandela was honored with the Order of the Aztec Eagle by the Mexican government.
- A park in Leicester, England was named Nelson Mandela Park.
- A major highway and a busy park in the Kingston Metropolitan Region in Jamaica were named after Nelson Mandela. These are the "Mandela Highway" and "Mandela Park."
- Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St John.
- Mandela was also awarded the Order of Merit by Elizabeth II.
Movies About Mandela
Nelson Mandela has been shown in many movies and on television.
- In the 1997 movie, Mandela and de Klerk, Sidney Poitier played Mandela.
- Dennis Haysbert played Mandela in Goodbye Bafana (2007).
- In the 2009 BBC television movie, Mrs Mandela, Nelson Mandela was played by David Harewood.
- In 2009, Morgan Freeman played Mandela in Invictus.
- Terrence Howard also played Mandela in the 2011 movie Winnie Mandela.
- Mandela appeared as himself in the 1992 movie Malcolm X.
- In Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, he was played by Idris Elba.
Nelson Mandela's Legacy
By the time he passed away, many people in South Africa called Mandela "the father of the nation." He was seen as a symbol of hope and freedom.
However, throughout his life, Mandela also faced some criticism. For example, Margaret Thatcher once called the ANC a "terrorist organization" in 1987. Some people also criticized Mandela for being friends with certain political leaders. These included Fidel Castro and Muammar Gaddafi.
Famous Quotes by Nelson Mandela
- "It always seems impossible until it's done."
- "Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again."
- "Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do."
- "Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies."
Interesting Facts About Nelson Mandela
- Mandela received military training in Ethiopia in 1962.
- July 18th is Nelson Mandela Day. On this day, people are asked to spend 67 minutes helping others. The 67 minutes represent the 67 years Mandela spent serving his country.
- Nelson was arrested several times for treason. Treason is the crime of betraying your country’s government.
- He used the name David Motsamayi to secretly leave South Africa. He was not allowed to leave the country.
- In Robben Island prison, Mandela’s prison number was 46664. He was the 466th prisoner in 1964.
- He used his time in prison to learn new things, including Afrikaans.
- While in prison, Mandela studied through a correspondence program. He earned a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of London.
- Mandela loved sports. He believed that sports "has the power to change the world… it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does."
- Mandela was an honorary citizen of many countries. These included Canada, the United States, and Brazil.
Related Pages
Images for kids
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Photograph of Mandela, taken in Umtata in 1937
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Mandela and Evelyn in July 1944, at Walter and Albertina Sisulu's wedding party in the Bantu Men's Social Center.
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Mandela's former home in the Johannesburg township of Soweto
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An apartheid sign
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Thatched room at Liliesleaf Farm, where Mandela hid
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Lime quarry on Robben Island where Mandela and other prisoners were forced to carry out hard labor
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Bust of Mandela erected on London's South Bank by the Greater London Council administration of Ken Livingstone in 1985
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"Free Mandela" protest in East Berlin, 1986
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Luthuli House in Johannesburg, which became the ANC headquarters in 1991
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De Klerk and Mandela at the World Economic Forum, 1992
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Mandela casting his vote in the 1994 election
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Houses in Soweto constructed under the RDP program
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Mandela on a visit to Brazil in 1998
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Mandela with US president Bill Clinton. Despite publicly criticizing him on several occasions, Mandela liked Clinton, and personally supported him during his impeachment proceedings.
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Mandela visiting the London School of Economics in 2000
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Nelson Mandela and President George W. Bush in the Oval Office, May 2005
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Mandela receiving the freedom of the city of Tshwane, 2008
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Members of the public paying their respects outside Mandela's Houghton home
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Mandela on a visit to Australia in 2009; he is wearing one of the brightly colored garments that became known as "Madiba shirts"
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See also
In Spanish: Nelson Mandela para niños
