Nelson Mandela In June 2008 there was a huge concert in London to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90 th birthday

A statue of the great man was unveiled outside the Houses of Parliament in London

Apartheid 1948 National Government Black and White people to be treated differently Black people to live ‘apart’ in separate areas Had to carry a passbook

The passbook took away people’s freedom to move around

Black people were sent to live in shanty towns Often their homes were little more than huts

When people complained they were treated brutally 200 protestors were killed at Sharpeville in 1960

Nelson Mandela A young man called Nelson Mandela thought all of this was wrong

He was born here Transkei, South Africa 18 July 1918 His father Henry was chief of the Tembu Tribe

His name was Rolihlahla until he went to a school run by English priests

When he grew up, Mandela joined a group called The African National Congress (ANC) He tried to change things In 1964 he was brought to trial and sentenced to life imprisonment

Nelson Mandela He was sent to prison at a place called Robben Island

Nelson Mandela He was often kept all alone This was called solitary confinement

Nelson Mandela People all over the world complained about what was happening in South Africa But Mandela was kept in prison for 28 years Eventually the government gave in

Nelson Mandela On 18 February 1990 Nelson Mandela was freed He told his supporters that they should not use violence They should help him to change South Africa peacefully

Nelson Mandela In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize At his acceptance speech he said, “an injury to one is an injury to all”

Nelson Mandela In 1994 the first ever free elections for all South Africans were held

Nelson Mandela Mr Mandela became his country’s first ever President to be elected by all South Africans

The new South Africa had to decide on a new national flag and a new national anthem The problem was that in the new rainbow nation, different groups spoke different languages COMPROMISEA COMPROMISE was needed!

FiveUsed Five languages IsiXhosa IsiZulu Sesotho Afrikaans English

TranslationTranslation Lord, bless Africa May her spirit rise high up Hear thou our prayers Lord bless us. Lord, bless Africa Banish wars and strife Lord, bless our nation Of South Africa. Ringing out from our blue heavens From our deep seas breaking round Over everlasting mountains Where the echoing crags resound Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land.

Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo, Yizwa imithandazo yethu, Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, O fedise dintwa la matshwenyeho, O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso, Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika. Uit die blou van onse hemel, Uit die diepte van ons see, Oor ons ewige gebergtes, Waar die kranse antwoord gee, Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land.

Sadly, in December of 2013, Nelson Mandela died in South Africa. Nelson Mandela is seen as one of history's most inspirational figures.