Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our
time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight
against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize
and the presidency of his country. Since his triumphant release in 1990
from more than a quarter-century of imprisonment, Mandela has been at
the center of the most compelling and inspiring political drama in the
world. As president of the African National Congress and head of South
Africa's antiapartheid movement, he was instrumental in moving the
nation toward multiracial government and majority rule. He is revered
everywhere as a vital force in the fight for human rights and racial
equality.

His autobiography
Long Walk to Freedom was published in 1995.
The book profiles his
early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison. Under the
apartheid government, Mandela was regarded as a terrorist and jailed on the infamous
Robben Island for his role as a leader of the then-outlawed
ANC. He has since achieved international recognition for his
leadership as president in rebuilding the country's once segregated society.
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The last chapters of the book describe his political ascension, and his
belief that the struggle continues against apartheid in South Africa.
We'll be talking about
Long Walk to Freedom on February 19 at 6:30 pm. Books are available to borrow from the library.
Interesting Links
The Trial of Nelson Mandela (Rivonia
Trial): Testimony of Alan Paton
Mandela quotes
Images of Nelson Mandela
The Xhosa people