Nelson Mandela: Life, Imprisonment, and Legacy
Nelson Mandela: A Brief Biography
When and Where Was Nelson Mandela Born?
He was born on July 18th, 1918, in the South African village of Mvezo.
How Many Wives Did Chief Gadla Mandela Have?
Chief Gadla Mandela, Nelson’s father, had four wives.
Who Was Buti?
“Buti” was Nelson Mandela’s nickname. His older sisters called him that.
Why Did His Family Move to Qunu?
Chief Mandela didn’t follow a white government worker’s orders, so he lost his job and all his money. Nelson and his family had to move to Qunu.
What Was “The Great Place”?
It was the home of King Jongintaba, a beautiful village with white houses. Jongintaba was an old friend of Nelson’s father, so he invited Nelson to live with him in that place, “the Great Place.”
Did Nelson Study? Where?
Yes, he did. At the age of 21, he went to Fort Hare University, a university exclusively for black South Africans.
How Was Life in South Africa?
In South Africa, life was not the same for black and white people. If a black person went to a restaurant, they could not eat in the main dining room because of their race.
Who Was Justice?
Justice was King Jongintaba’s son. He was a good friend of Nelson, and they went to school and university together. There, they met Oliver Tambo, another of Mandela’s friends.
What Is a Township?
Townships are in Johannesburg. They are very poor parts of the city where black people lived. The houses were made of wood and whatever materials they could find.
What Was the ANC Youth League?
The African National Congress (ANC) was a political group that fought for black Africans’ rights. But Mandela felt they weren’t effective enough, so he started the ANC Youth League in 1944 with Oliver Tambo.
Who Did Nelson Marry? Who Was Their Son?
He married twice. His first wife was Evelyn Mase, and they had a son, Thembi, another son, and a daughter who died.
Was the National Party’s Leader, Daniel Malan, a Fair Leader? Why Not?
No, he wasn’t. Life was really hard for non-white South Africans under his leadership.
What Happened on May 1st, 1950?
Many people didn’t go to work as a protest. They peacefully protested in the streets, but the police appeared on horses and with guns. They killed 18 protesters.
When Did Nelson Mandela Become a Lawyer?
Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela became lawyers in 1952. They opened the first law business with black lawyers.
Who Was Winnie?
His second wife was Winnie. They had two daughters.
How Many Children Did Mandela Have?
He had five children.
Why Was He in Prison?
The ANC had a plan: they wanted all black people to go into “white only” areas. The police could not arrest everybody, but in 1952, the police arrested 8,000 South Africans in “white only” restaurants, trains, and toilets. One of the arrested black people was Nelson Mandela.
What Is Robben Island? How Long Did He Stay There?
It is a prison island near Cape Town. It looked green and peaceful, but it was one of the worst prisons in the world. He was sent there for life, what he called the “dark years.”
How Was Life for Mandela in Robben Island?
It was terrible. The cells were too small. Guards woke him up at 5 every day, and he had to work all day until 8 in the evening when he had a cold bath. He could not see his children, only his wife Winnie.
Mandela thought the prison could not kill him. He started to change things so much that people called it Robben Island University.