Nelson Mandela: An Advocate for Peaceful Defiance in Africa Nelson Mandela stated, “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner” (“Nelson Mandela Quotes”). Mandela’s quote showcases his life works and how he performed them. Mandela believed in nonviolence and working together for the greater good. In his lifetime, he directed a campaign of peacefulness to overthrow Africa’s apartheid government system. He also served as the first black South African president. Nelson Mandela’s achievements came through personal hard work and a firm belief and vision of what Africa could become. Early years were not easy for Nelson Mandela. He was born into a very small village and was later moved into an even smaller village due to familial disputes. Ironically, Mandela was originally named Rolihlahla, which means troublemaker. Mandela was the first in his family to attend school. He was renamed Nelson by one of his teachers. When he was 9 years old, Nelson Mandela lost his father. This resulted in him being adopted by Chief …show more content…
Mandela worked hard to keep peace while negotiating with President De Klerk. Violent eruptions did break out, though. Even ANC leader Chris Hani was assassinated. However, Mandela’s hard work did not halt. In 1993, Mandela and President de Klerk were both awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work toward ending apartheid. Their work together continued even in Nelson Mandela’s presidency: he was inaugurated as the country's first black president on May 10, 1994 with de Klerk as his first deputy (“Biography of Nelson Mandela”). Mandela worked to make government and treatment of citizens fair. In 1996, He signed into law a new constitution for the nation, establishing a central government based on majority rule: guaranteeing both the rights of minorities and the freedom of expression for