Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa. He led the fight against apartheid, a political and social system that separated blacks and whites. Under his leadership, South Africa became a democracy where all races could vote equally.
In his early life, Mandela became involved in politics to improve the lives of black people living in South Africa. He joined the African National Congress (ANC), which fought for equal rights for black people and other oppressed groups such as women and gay men.
In 1961, he was arrested for conspiring to overthrow the white-minority government through non-violent protests and civil disobedience. He agreed to go on trial in 1963, but he refused legal representation because he did not recognize the legitimacy of the court system at that time due to its bias against blacks and other minorities. He was sentenced to life imprisonment at Robben Island Prison off Cape Town where he spent 27 years before being released in 1990 after international pressure mounted against apartheid laws and policies.
After his release from prison, Mandela became South Africa’s first black president in 1994 with overwhelming support from white voters who had previously opposed him because of his ANC membership.
As president, he worked to promote reconciliation between the different racial groups in South Africa and also worked to improve the lives of the poor.
