Nelson Mandela is a renowned civil rights activist and influential leader, who took a large role in the anti apartheid movement in South Africa. Mandela orchestrated many movements and campaigns that were largely in support of the citizens of South Africa who were not represented in the government, and helped end the segregation and prejudice within the South African government. He influenced millions who wanted to make a change in their society and wanted equality for all people, regardless of race. Mandela did not merely take part in these movements, but became a powerful figure within them. He faced harsh reciprocations from political powers and those who opposed his ideals and ideas, but he continued on nevertheless. Mandela’s undying passion …show more content…
He joined the National Congress, and began a large movement to give the citizens of South Africa a voice called the African National Congress Youth League. Mandela, and the rest of the members of the Youth League believed that civil disobedience and boycotts would help them create a change in the government of South Africa. Their movement, bolstered by the support of millions who weren’t represented in the current system, fought to give redistribution of land, education for every child, and full citizenship to the current citizens. Across the next 20 years, Mandela orchestrated many campaigns and groups to assist in his peaceful protests of the South African government and its prejudiced and intolerant policies, such as the 1955 Congress of the People, which was a large gathering to share the vision of South African citizens who weren’t given a voice. Mandela also created a law firm with a student he had befriended at Fort Hare that provided legal aid to South Africans with no political power. However, in 1963, after leading an armed strike, he was charged with treason and sentenced to 27 years in prison, which put a large halt on his struggle, although he continued to remain a powerful figure for other activists. Upon his release in 1990, the new President Frederik Willem de Klerk removed restrictions on political groups and movements, and Mandela began requesting foreign support of his fight to end the South African government’s rule. Mandela was elected president of the African National Congress, and conducted negotiations with the current South African president to hold the first multi-racial elections. Between 1993 and 1994, Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work, and held the first democratic elections in South Africa, where he was inaugurated as President. For many years after, Mandela continued to fight against the minority rule of black South