Nelson Mandela:
My name Nelson Mandela, I was born in July 18, 1918 in Transkei, South Africa. I served as the president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and I was the first president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before my presidency, I was the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, also the armed wing of the African National Congress or the ANC. In 1962 I was sentenced to prison for life, but I only served 27 years in prison, while I was spending my time in jail in an island called Robben Island. When my release came from prison in February 11th in 1990, I led my party towards the negotiations where multi-racial democracy took place in 1994. As the president from 1994 to 1999 I gave the order to make peace with the department. Also I was educated in the University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. After the banning of the ANC in 1960 I kept on arguing that there should be a military wing within the ANC. I considered my proposal on the use of violent tactics, and agreed that the members who wanted involved in my campaign would not be stopped by the ANC. This led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Also I was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment with hard labor. In 1963 when many leaders of the ANC and the Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested, I was brought to stand trial with them for plotting to take the government out by violence. My statement received a lot international publicity. On June 12, 1964, eight of the accused, including myself, were sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, I was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, I was at Polls moor Prison, nearby on the mainland. After my release I jumped into my work, I kept on trying to reach my goal and the others had set out to fulfill their dreams as well. In 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC held inside South Africa after the organization had been banned in 1960, I was also elected President of the ANC while my lifelong friend and colleague, Oliver Tambo, became the organization's National Chairperson. In 1988 I was hospitalized with an illness, and after my recovery I was returned to prison under less conditions. By this time, the situation within South Africa was becoming desperate for the ruling white powers. Protest had spread, and international pressures for the end were increasing. More and more, South Africa was turned to a racist state. It was against this backdrop from around the world to release on myself. On February 11, 1990, I walked out of prison. I received joyful welcomes wherever I went around the world. In 1991 I assumed the presidency of the ANC, which had been given legal status again by the government. My Accomplishments were also that in 1986 I was given the W.E.B DuBois Award by the National Peace Prize. In 1994 the award for the Washington Based MENDUSA peace. In 1995 I got the award for Honorary member of the Order of Merit by the British and Commonwealth Order by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1998 I also got the award for the US Congressional Gold Medal for being a Distinguished Citizen of the World. 2000 I got the award for honorary Canadian citizenship. In 2002 I also got the award for US Presidential Medal of Freedom. 2004 I got an award for Philippine’s Congressional Medal of Achievement. In 2006 I got the award for International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award. In 2007 I got my last award for a statue of me in London’s Parliament Square. People can learn from me that even though throughout everything that I have been through such as getting arrested for trying to do the right thing I still accomplished my goal which is trying to fight for the equal rights of Africa and make peace. Always fight for what you believe in so that your generation can keep on growing.
