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Birth of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, into a royal family of the Xhosa-speaking tribe. -
Mandela Joins the ANC
in 1944 Mandela joined the ANC and worked to establish its youth league, the ANCYL. -
Pass Laws
The government enacted a new law that required all African males over the age of 16 to carry a "reference" book containing employment history and personal information. -
Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act of 1959
This law divided Africans into 10 discrete groups, each assigned with their own "homeland." -
ANC Banned
The Apartheid government bans the ANC. -
Period: to
Forced Removal
The Apartheid government forcibly moved 3.5 Million black South Africans in one of the largest mass removals of people in modern history. -
Spear of the Nation
Nelson co-founded and became the first leader of Umkohonto we Sizwe ("Spear of the Nation"). -
Mandela's Arrest
Nelson Mandela and 155 other activist are arrested for and tried for treason -
The Bantu Homelands Citizenship Act
This law declared that all Africans were citizens of their "homelands" and not South Africa itself, which was a step towards the governments goal of having no African citizens in South Africa -
ANC Unbanned
Newly elected president F. W. de Klerk lifted the ban on the ANC and called for a non-racist South Africa. -
Mandela is released
F. W. de Clerk orders Mandela's release from prison. -
First Multiracial Elections
On April 26th, 1994, more than 22 million South Africans turned out to cast ballots in the country's first multiracial parliamentary elections in history. -
Mandela sworn in
On May 10th, 1994, Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the first Black president of South Africa. -
Mandela retires from politics
Nelson Mandela retired from politics at the end of his first term as President. -
Nelson Mandela Dies
Nelson Mandela died from a recurring lung infection on December 5th, 2013.