Where was nelson mandela born

He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by fostering racial reconciliation. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist , he served as the president of the African National Congress ANC party from to He studied law at the University of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand before working as a lawyer in Johannesburg.

There he became involved in anti-colonial and African nationalist politics, joining the ANC in and co-founding its Youth League in After the National Party 's white-only government established apartheid, a system of racial segregation that privileged whites , Mandela and the ANC committed themselves to its overthrow.

Short biography of nelson mandela in 200 words

He was appointed president of the ANC's Transvaal branch, rising to prominence for his involvement in the Defiance Campaign and the Congress of the People. He was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and was unsuccessfully prosecuted in the Treason Trial. Although initially committed to non-violent protest, in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant uMkhonto we Sizwe in that led a sabotage campaign against the apartheid government.

He was arrested and imprisoned in , and, following the Rivonia Trial , was sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiring to overthrow the state. Amid growing domestic and international pressure and fears of racial civil war, President F. Mandela and de Klerk led efforts to negotiate an end to apartheid, which resulted in the multiracial general election in which Mandela led the ANC to victory and became president.

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Leading a broad coalition government which promulgated a new constitution , Mandela emphasised reconciliation between the country's racial groups and created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses. Economically, his administration retained its predecessor's liberal framework despite his own socialist beliefs, also introducing measures to encourage land reform , combat poverty and expand healthcare services.

Internationally, Mandela acted as mediator in the Pan Am Flight bombing trial and served as secretary-general of the Non-Aligned Movement from to He declined a second presidential term and was succeeded by his deputy, Thabo Mbeki. Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life.