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Nelson Mandela
Although history is often conceived of as a series of significant dates, it is people who shape the course of human events. The "People Who Made History series profiles the distinctive individuals who through their talent, skills, intellect, or charisma have made an impact on their times and influenced generations thereafter. These individuals have influenced the course of history, often for the better, sometimes for the worse. Each volume profiles a significant figure and presents a variety of essays that focus on that person's major contributions or notorious deeds and their place in history. The essays are edited and organized to ensure their accessibility. An introductory essay provides essential background on the subject's life and times. The appendix of primary source documents and extensive bibliography offer avenues for further research.
192 pages, Library Binding
First published September 22, 2003
About the author
Tom Head
45 books65 followersAuthor of It's Your World So Change It (Que/Pearson), Civil Liberties A Beginner's Guide (Oneworld UK), and 22 other nonfiction books on a wide range of topics; About.com guide to civil liberties.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 15, 2015
Friday February 20 2015
Like many people in the world, we try to find things to differ from others. Throughout the centuries different people have made a difference by war, to Cleopatra all the way to Caesar. There is one person who made a difference without war, Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela is a black man born in 1918 “had spent most of his adult life on Robben island, confined under appalling conditions” (Maltz 10). Nelson spent most of his years in prison, and was charged of sabotage. Nelson may not have had the best adulthood but was fated to make a change.
Nelson Mandela was imprisoned in 1962 for five years and resentenced for sabotage. This resulted to only be able to contact his family two hours per year, and only be able to see his daughter 15 years after her birth. “When his mother died, Mandela was refused permission to return home to bury her” (Maltz 10). Therefore it is apparent that Nelson lived a hard life in prison, forced to do backbreaking labour and refused access to newspapers and to continue further study. Nelson Mandela was released in 1990 where he presumed his goal to end apartheid once in for all.
Frida
When Nelson Mandela was freed, the white folk of South Africa were suspicious about him because the government had described Nelson as a terrorist. Soon Nelson was back on track with his followers, and was seen as one of the best leaders of the century. Nelson won numerous prizes including “shared the Noble Prize with South African president F.W de Klerk”. Nelson insisted on peace and wrote numerous speeches of his intention for the future of South Africa, Nelson shock the world when he forgave those who imprisoned him. Nelson was said to have stopped the happening of a bloody war and brought South Africa on a new track.
Though Nelson had done a lot to help South Africans, his worries were not over. In 1941 on his return to Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC), which helped black communities that had been declined rights. “Mandela quickly became a key member of the ANC” (Maltz 13). Mandela helped strength the resistance against apartheid which was a great attribution, and helped defeat other forces against the ANC. Nelson Mandela was followed by millions and help South Africa be the country it deserves.
Friday March 6
During Nelson Mandela’s mission to freedom and equality. Nelson Mandela had to spread his message of black rights. While doing so Nelson Mandela had trouble, one of those conflicts was when Nelson and his followers marched the streets and most of the followers were arrested. Nelson Mandela soon became into hiding about his plan to give black men and women the rights that they deserve. Nelson embarked on a dangerous and risky mission to the rights of humanity, and was one of the people supporting the Jews during the World War Two.
Nelson Mandela had one terrible problem and it was ending apartheid. Soon all members of Nelson’s group agreed to proceed in his mission to bring the two races together, ending apartheid. First Nelson had to climb to the top by gathering many followers and win the president’s trust. In Nelson Mandela’s speeches, Nelson Mandela talks about how having revenge will only bring loss and death to the white citizens of South Africa. Nelson won the noble prize and was rewarded so for his ending of apartheid.
Nelson Mandela was born in a normal village inhabited by peasants. Nelson Mandela’s home was on the banks of Mbashe River in Thembuland. “His childhood would have been no different from those of many others” (Maltz 24). Nelson Mandela was from a royal branch of the Thembu Clans and his grandfather was the one who brought the clans together to unit. Like Nelson’s father, his grandfather was unable to read or write, but was respected and seen upon as strong minded and was valued as a counsellor and leader. Nelson Mandela was very influenced by his father which led him to be a good man.
Nelson was not always called Nelson Mandela, his orginal name was Rolihlahla which meant literally taking branch of a tree, but was also referred to meaning being a troublemaker. While Nelson attended school on the first day he was named Nelson by a African teacher, which became known to be his name today. When Nelson became nine his father died and the court of the royal family were to judge if Nelson was “worthy” to be chief of clan, the clans were disappointed until Nelson said this “As a leader, I have always followed the principals to listen to each individual before venturing my own opinion “ (Maltz 34). There Nelson was judged to but was refused an answer and was sent back to school.
Sunday, March 15
During Nelson Mandela’s release in Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela had time to visit his past friends and previous teachers. When Nelson was a young man he would only gain two rand and would find it hard to pay the rent and the bus, the money he gained was really low. “13/4d plus bus fare of 8d a day to town and back” (Maltz 41). The amount of money Nelson Mandela gained demonstrates the low value of money back in South Africa and how hard life was. Nelson had to depend on his friends and his kind landowners to succeed.
In 1950, Nelson was elected president of the Youth League. The Youth League was a political organization made to allow under aged individuals to vote. “The Youth helped many Black people to gain the right to vote” (Maltz 45). The Youth League soon became known to all black people and many spoke out for their rights. Nelson Mandela was the voice to many black people, but was still able to keep the system stable.
After 27 years of wait from prison Nelson Mandela was released in Paarl a few kilometres from Port Elizabeth. Everyone was waiting for the return of Nelson Mandela “You would think the world is coming to an end tomorrow at three. I’m completely sold out of everything I had in stock, and I’m not the only one. And can you blame the people, for tomorrow will be the most joyous day in the history of black South Africans because their long-lost father is returning” (Maltz 138). Nelson Mandela’s return was a time of joy to all black folk, and was a new start for the South Africans. Nelson was released at three and people came to greet him.
Like many people in the world, we try to find things to differ from others. Throughout the centuries different people have made a difference by war, to Cleopatra all the way to Caesar. There is one person who made a difference without war, Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela is a black man born in 1918 “had spent most of his adult life on Robben island, confined under appalling conditions” (Maltz 10). Nelson spent most of his years in prison, and was charged of sabotage. Nelson may not have had the best adulthood but was fated to make a change.
Nelson Mandela was imprisoned in 1962 for five years and resentenced for sabotage. This resulted to only be able to contact his family two hours per year, and only be able to see his daughter 15 years after her birth. “When his mother died, Mandela was refused permission to return home to bury her” (Maltz 10). Therefore it is apparent that Nelson lived a hard life in prison, forced to do backbreaking labour and refused access to newspapers and to continue further study. Nelson Mandela was released in 1990 where he presumed his goal to end apartheid once in for all.
Frida
When Nelson Mandela was freed, the white folk of South Africa were suspicious about him because the government had described Nelson as a terrorist. Soon Nelson was back on track with his followers, and was seen as one of the best leaders of the century. Nelson won numerous prizes including “shared the Noble Prize with South African president F.W de Klerk”. Nelson insisted on peace and wrote numerous speeches of his intention for the future of South Africa, Nelson shock the world when he forgave those who imprisoned him. Nelson was said to have stopped the happening of a bloody war and brought South Africa on a new track.
Though Nelson had done a lot to help South Africans, his worries were not over. In 1941 on his return to Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC), which helped black communities that had been declined rights. “Mandela quickly became a key member of the ANC” (Maltz 13). Mandela helped strength the resistance against apartheid which was a great attribution, and helped defeat other forces against the ANC. Nelson Mandela was followed by millions and help South Africa be the country it deserves.
Friday March 6
During Nelson Mandela’s mission to freedom and equality. Nelson Mandela had to spread his message of black rights. While doing so Nelson Mandela had trouble, one of those conflicts was when Nelson and his followers marched the streets and most of the followers were arrested. Nelson Mandela soon became into hiding about his plan to give black men and women the rights that they deserve. Nelson embarked on a dangerous and risky mission to the rights of humanity, and was one of the people supporting the Jews during the World War Two.
Nelson Mandela had one terrible problem and it was ending apartheid. Soon all members of Nelson’s group agreed to proceed in his mission to bring the two races together, ending apartheid. First Nelson had to climb to the top by gathering many followers and win the president’s trust. In Nelson Mandela’s speeches, Nelson Mandela talks about how having revenge will only bring loss and death to the white citizens of South Africa. Nelson won the noble prize and was rewarded so for his ending of apartheid.
Nelson Mandela was born in a normal village inhabited by peasants. Nelson Mandela’s home was on the banks of Mbashe River in Thembuland. “His childhood would have been no different from those of many others” (Maltz 24). Nelson Mandela was from a royal branch of the Thembu Clans and his grandfather was the one who brought the clans together to unit. Like Nelson’s father, his grandfather was unable to read or write, but was respected and seen upon as strong minded and was valued as a counsellor and leader. Nelson Mandela was very influenced by his father which led him to be a good man.
Nelson was not always called Nelson Mandela, his orginal name was Rolihlahla which meant literally taking branch of a tree, but was also referred to meaning being a troublemaker. While Nelson attended school on the first day he was named Nelson by a African teacher, which became known to be his name today. When Nelson became nine his father died and the court of the royal family were to judge if Nelson was “worthy” to be chief of clan, the clans were disappointed until Nelson said this “As a leader, I have always followed the principals to listen to each individual before venturing my own opinion “ (Maltz 34). There Nelson was judged to but was refused an answer and was sent back to school.
Sunday, March 15
During Nelson Mandela’s release in Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela had time to visit his past friends and previous teachers. When Nelson was a young man he would only gain two rand and would find it hard to pay the rent and the bus, the money he gained was really low. “13/4d plus bus fare of 8d a day to town and back” (Maltz 41). The amount of money Nelson Mandela gained demonstrates the low value of money back in South Africa and how hard life was. Nelson had to depend on his friends and his kind landowners to succeed.
In 1950, Nelson was elected president of the Youth League. The Youth League was a political organization made to allow under aged individuals to vote. “The Youth helped many Black people to gain the right to vote” (Maltz 45). The Youth League soon became known to all black people and many spoke out for their rights. Nelson Mandela was the voice to many black people, but was still able to keep the system stable.
After 27 years of wait from prison Nelson Mandela was released in Paarl a few kilometres from Port Elizabeth. Everyone was waiting for the return of Nelson Mandela “You would think the world is coming to an end tomorrow at three. I’m completely sold out of everything I had in stock, and I’m not the only one. And can you blame the people, for tomorrow will be the most joyous day in the history of black South Africans because their long-lost father is returning” (Maltz 138). Nelson Mandela’s return was a time of joy to all black folk, and was a new start for the South Africans. Nelson was released at three and people came to greet him.
Displaying 1 of 1 review