Nelson Mandela Research Paper

Nelson Mandela, a hero to many, but a savior to some, represented the African American people fighting against white dominance in South Africa. Mandela made an impact in South Africa and the world. Also he promoted peaceful protest while showing the government what white dominance means to the African Americans. Mandela was honest during his trial that sentenced him life imprisonment. While Nelson Mandela broke the law by conspiracy to overthrow the South African government, his actions are justified.

June 12, 1964, Nelson Mandela received the life sentence for committing sabotage against South Africa’s government. Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC), in 1944 when the ANC was beginning to protest the South African government

After the protest in South Africa, Mandela along with 155 other activist were put on trial for treason. All of them being acquitted five years after the trail was put in place. A year after they were aquitted, a peaceful protest from African Americans turned deadly killing sixty nine protesters. After this incident, riots swept the country out of anger towards the government. The ANC now being banned from the country after the riots. In the wake of the massacre Mandela knew that to beat the South African government, the ANC had to fight back with violence. In 1961, Mandela became leader of the MK, a new armed part of the ANC. “It would be wrong and unrealistic for African leaders to continue preaching peace and nonviolence at a time when the government met our peaceful demands with force. It was only when all else had failed, when all channels of peaceful protest had been barred to us, that the decision was made to embark on violent forms of political struggle.” Mandela and the MK launched sabotages on the South African government. On August 5, shortly after his return, he was

Mandela, being a highly ranked leader in the ANC was mainly in charge of setting up protest, boycotts, and others acts of civil disobedience. Mandela helped lead the ANC’s campaign for the defiance of unjust laws, traveling across the country to organize protests against discriminatory policies. “Mandela pursued nonviolent resistance”(Denis Cummings). Mandela organized protest to tell the government how white dominance is affecting South Africa. These protesters having armed nothing, but a fight for equality. Mandela never truly wanted to pursue violence in his protest because he knew that violence would just cause death and no progress would be made. Him being a highly ranked leader at the ANC means he could start full on riots against the government, but Mandela did not. He kept the protest peaceful and nonviolent. Mandela did not break any crimes at this point and is justified for treason against the government because of his effort to enforce peaceful protest. “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination”(Nelson Mandela). Mandela has spent his entire adulthood either fighting against the South African government or in prison. He kept shining light to the African American community that one day everyone would be equal. Mandela's protest started to become more powerful and