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Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and philanthropist. He served as the President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 and was the country’s first black head of state. Mandela was a leading figure in the struggle against apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination, and his imprisonment for 27 years made him a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement.

Mandela was born in 1918 in the village of Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. He initially trained as a lawyer and later became involved in politics, joining the African National Congress (ANC) in the 1940s. In the 1950s, Mandela’s opposition to apartheid intensified and he played a key role in the ANC’s campaign of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance. However, after the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, the ANC was banned and Mandela went underground, forming the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) guerrilla group.

In 1962, Mandela was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. He spent the next 27 years in prison, much of it on Robben Island. During his imprisonment, Mandela became a global symbol of the fight against apartheid and his release in 1990 was widely celebrated around the world.

After his release, Mandela played a key role in the negotiations that led to the end of apartheid and the establishment of a democratic, multiracial South Africa. In 1994, he became the country’s first black President, serving as a unifying figure in a nation that had been torn apart by decades of racial division and violence.

Mandela was widely respected for his commitment to reconciliation and forgiveness. He established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated human rights violations during the apartheid era, and he worked to promote national unity through his support of sports, particularly the Rugby World Cup in 1995.

Mandela passed away in 2013 at the age of 95, leaving behind a legacy as one of the world’s most beloved and respected leaders. His life and work continue to inspire people around the world who are working for justice, equality, and human rights.