2. Early Life Nelson Mandela was born on the 18 th of July, 1918. He grew up in a gorgeous rural village in South Africa called Qunu. The village was full of green grass and happy people that loved fishing and swimming in the beautiful streams. Most children in the village were unable to go to school due to costs, but as Nelson was the son of the well respected Thembu African chief, he was able to go to school. Nelson worked and studied hard and became a lawyer. He eventually became involved with a political party called ANC.

3. Nelson Mandela and the ANC Nelson Mandela joined the ANC in 1944. This is a political party that can also be called the African National Congress. The ANC protested peacefully against a system called ‘apartheid’ and to resist the unfair laws. Apartheid was a system that prevented different races having equal rights. This means that people of colour had worse houses, medical care and schooling they also weren't allowed to vote. Nelson and the ANC protested peacefully until 1960, when police opened fire on a peaceful protest in Sharpeville, killing 69 and wounding 186. This was when Nelson and the ANC realized that protesting the way they were, wasn’t going to end apartheid.

4. After the open fire, the South African Government decided to make it illegal to belong to the ANC. Nelson Mandela thought that they should attack government targets by setting up a military wing. He was arrested for trying to bring down the government in 1963 and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He spent most of his time in prison on Robben Island. During his prison time people all over the world became interested in his protests and started to campaign for him to be released from prison and for apartheid to stop. He was released on February the 11 th, 1990 after 27 years in prison. After Nelson was released, President F.W. De Klerk resigned and apartheid officially ended. Jail time

5.  Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa, he was named president on the 10 th of May 1994. Achievements  He was the president of South Africa for 5 years.  Nelson Mandela received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in making blacks and whites have equal rights.  Has worked for peace in South Africa since his release from prison in 1990.  He made all different races have equal rights and be free from apartheid in South Africa.