Nelson Mandela

Nelson was Born

Jul 18, 1918

Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela is born a member of the Madiba clan. His tribal name, "Rolihalah," means "troublemaker." He is later given his English name, Nelson, by a teacher at his school

Goes to University

Jan 1, 1939

Enrols at the University College of Fort Hare, in Alice

Expelled from University

Jan 1, 1940

Expelled from the University because he attended a student strike

Joins the ANC

Apr 1, 1944

Joins the African National Congress (ANC) as an activist.

Opens Black Legal Firm

Jan 1, 1952

Opens the first black legal firm in South Africa with fellow lawyer Oliver Tambo providing free or low-cost legal counsel to many blacks who would otherwise have been without legal representation.
Mandela was prominent in the ANC's 1952 Defiance Campaign

Accused of Terrorism

Dec 5, 1956

Accused of conspiring to overthrow the South African state by violent means with 155 other political activists and charged with high treason. The Treason Trial of 1956–61 follows and all were acquitted

Sharpeville Massacre

Jan 1, 1960

Police kill 69 peaceful protestors and the ANC is banned
Mandela goes into hiding and forms an underground military group with armed resistance

Arrested

Aug 5, 1962

Arrested after living on the run for seventeen months and was imprisoned in the Johannesburg Fort.

Nelson goes on the run

Oct 25, 1962

Nelson Mandela was sentenced to five years in prison but again goes on the run

Captured again and arrested

Jun 12, 1964

Captured and convicted of sabotage and treason and sentenced to life imprisonment at the age of 46, initially on Robben island where he would be kept for 18 years

Released from Prison

Feb 11, 1990

Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years
President De Klerk lifts the ban on the African National Congress (ANC)
The ANC and the white National Party begin talks on forming a multi-racial democracy for South Africa.

Becomes leader of ANC

Jan 1, 1991

Becomes President of the African National Congress ( ANC )

ANC wins the election

Apr 26, 1994

Free Elections where black South Africans are allowed to vote for the first time. Nelson Mandela runs for President
The ANC won 252 of the 400 seats in the national assembly

Nelson was diagnosed with Cancer

Jan 1, 2001

Nelson Mandela was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer with radiation

Attacked George Bush's Policy

Jan 1, 2003

Attacked the foreign policy of the George W. Bush
Later that same year, he lent his support to the 46664 AIDS fundraising campaign. The initiative was named after his prison number

Nelson Retires

Jan 1, 2004

Nelson Mandela announced that he would be retiring from public life at the age of 85 and Johannesburg bestowed its highest honour by granting Nelson Mandela the freedom of the city

Nelson Mandela passed away

Dec 5, 2013

After spending his 95th birhtday in the Hospital Nelson died.