Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. He was born in Transkei, a small farming village in South Africa. He was the only child to attend school in his family. During his education he became interested in African history and he decided that he wanted to be a political activist. When he turned sixteen years old he decided that it was time for him to take action towards racial segregation by Apartheid leaders. He would eventually formulate his resolve for an independent South Africa.
He furthered his education by attending the Wesleyan Mission School, the Clarkebury Boarding Institute, and Wesleyan College, where he became interested in politics. While attending school he became involved in sports and, more specifically, he excelled at track and boxing. He would eventually go on to combine his love of politics and sports by encouraging young, black South Africans to support the once hated national rugby team. He believed that sports could bring black and white youths together.
He was a young passionate individual that continued to further his education. In 1939, Nelson Mandela enrolled at University College of Fort Hare, which is known as Africa’s best university. He worked a variety of jobs while attending school there. After attending University college of Fort Hare he enrolled at the University of Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, where he studied law. After graduation he became involved in the Anti-Apartheid movement in 1942. He joined the African National Congress (ANC) which, at the time, was still a small Anti-Apartheid movement. Their goal was to make a difference in their nation by ending racial segregation. The movement rebelled against Apartheid leaders using such tactics as, boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience, and non-cooperation. Their mission was to gain full citizenship, redistribution of land, trade union rights, and free compulsory education. In 1956, Mandela and others were arrested and charged for
References: Apartheid in south africa. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid_in_South_Africa Nelson mandela. biography. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/print/profile/nelson-mandela-9397017 Nelson mandela centre of memory. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nelsonmandela.org/ Nelson mandela. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela Nelson mandela. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/nelson-mandela