nelson mandella
Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Mvezo, Transkei, on July 18,
1918, to Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla
Mandela.
His father died when he was 12 and he became a ward of the
Thembu Regent Jongintaba Dalindyebo where he heard stories of his ancestor’s valour.
At primary school in Qunu his teacher Miss Mdingane gave him the name Nelson, in accordance with the custom to give all school children “Christian” names.
His university studies were cut short when he was expelled for joining a student protest but he completed his BA by correspondence and graduated in 1943.
He and his cousin Justice fled in 1941 when the Regent began arranging their marriages. In Johannesburg he did his law articles and registered to study for an LLB. He finally graduated in 1989 while in the last months of his imprisonment, he obtained an LLB through the University of South Africa.
He only joined the African National Congress in 1944 when he helped formed the ANC Youth League.
In 1944 he married Evelyn Mase and they had two sons and two daughters one of whom died in infancy. They divorced in 1958.
In 1952 he and 19 others were convicted for their part in a civil disobedience campaign and sentenced to nine months hard labour suspended for two years.
With a two-year diploma in Law he started in 1952 first black law firm with Oliver Tambo.
He was arrested in a countrywide police swoop on 5 December
1955, which led to the 1956 Treason Trial. He was in the last group of 28 acquitted on 29 March 1961.
The police killing on 21 March 1960 police of 69 unarmed protestors led to the country’s first state of emergency and the banning on 8 April of the ANC and the Pan Africanist Congress.
In 1958 he married a social worker Winnie Madikizela and they had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1996.
When he and his colleagues were acquitted in the Treason Trial he went underground and planned a national strike for 29, 30 and 31 May. In June 1961 he helped to
1918, to Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla
Mandela.
His father died when he was 12 and he became a ward of the
Thembu Regent Jongintaba Dalindyebo where he heard stories of his ancestor’s valour.
At primary school in Qunu his teacher Miss Mdingane gave him the name Nelson, in accordance with the custom to give all school children “Christian” names.
His university studies were cut short when he was expelled for joining a student protest but he completed his BA by correspondence and graduated in 1943.
He and his cousin Justice fled in 1941 when the Regent began arranging their marriages. In Johannesburg he did his law articles and registered to study for an LLB. He finally graduated in 1989 while in the last months of his imprisonment, he obtained an LLB through the University of South Africa.
He only joined the African National Congress in 1944 when he helped formed the ANC Youth League.
In 1944 he married Evelyn Mase and they had two sons and two daughters one of whom died in infancy. They divorced in 1958.
In 1952 he and 19 others were convicted for their part in a civil disobedience campaign and sentenced to nine months hard labour suspended for two years.
With a two-year diploma in Law he started in 1952 first black law firm with Oliver Tambo.
He was arrested in a countrywide police swoop on 5 December
1955, which led to the 1956 Treason Trial. He was in the last group of 28 acquitted on 29 March 1961.
The police killing on 21 March 1960 police of 69 unarmed protestors led to the country’s first state of emergency and the banning on 8 April of the ANC and the Pan Africanist Congress.
In 1958 he married a social worker Winnie Madikizela and they had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1996.
When he and his colleagues were acquitted in the Treason Trial he went underground and planned a national strike for 29, 30 and 31 May. In June 1961 he helped to