I chose to read about
Nelson Mandela in his autobiography Mandela an Illustrated
Autobiography. I selected Nelson Mandela because he recently died and
I was curious about his impact in the world because I did not know about him
except that he was the former President of South Africa.
Rolihlahia was his given name which means “pulling a branch of a tree or troublemaker.” He was born on July 18, 1918 in a very small village of approximately 200 people, named Mvezo in South Africa. His father Mgadla held a very prominent position as council to the chief of the Thembu tribe. Rolihlahia lived in a hut that was beehive-shaped, had mud walls and a grass roof placed on government land requiring paid rent. The floor was made of dirt and was kept clean and smooth by regularly smearing fresh cow dung upon it. He dressed in a blanket and walked everywhere barefoot and ate mostly corn, sorghum, beans and pumpkins because that is all his family could afford. There was one general store and two very small primary schools. The tribe was generally not well educated and no one knew how to read or write. He was raised to follow customs and rituals, and respect taboos of his people (Mandela, 1996).
Rolihahia’s father died from tuberculosis when he was nine years old and he was placed in the care of his father’s cousin Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who was chief of the Thembu tribe. His religious faith was very important to his new family and because he was now a member of royalty, he attended a Wesleyan school and college, becoming the first in his family to ever receive formal education. When he started school he was named by his teacher, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. He proved to be a bright student and attended Fort Hare, the University of South Africa, and the University of Witwatersrand. While he was at Fort Hare University seeking a Bachelor of Arts Degree he did not finish because he became involved with the Student Representative Council. He joined a boycott against university policies and consequently was asked to leave the college. This was his first recorded political activity (Mandela, 1996). He completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of South Africa through correspondence and studied law at the University of Witwatersrand where he met activists who greatly influenced his life and became a member of the African National Council (ANC). His membership with the ANC was when he first discovered his core moral belief that all races should be treated equally. He felt that any discrimination that was based on color was ignoring the laws of freedom (Mandela, 1996).
During this time in Africa apartheid existed and black Africans were forced to use segregated housing and public facilities from whites. His vision of government focused on extinguishing apartheid (Nelson, 2014). In 1991, Mandela joined forces with President F.W. de Klerk and worked to write a new constitution for South Africa that took effect in 1994. A coalition of government was formed with a non-white majority, marking the official end of the apartheid system. This can relate to our country’s history because of the acts of violence and the separation of blacks and whites in the civil rights movement and even today racial segregation exists (Apartheid, 2010).
Mandela was President of South Africa from 1994-1999. He continued to extinguish apartheid during his presidency through tackling racism, poverty, inequality, and fostering racial reconciliation. While continuing the former government's liberal economic policies, his administration introduced measures to encourage land reform, combat poverty, expand healthcare services and mediate international conflicts (African Library Project).
Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life, but he nevertheless gained international acclaim for his activism. Mandela, later in life, became an elder statesman, focusing on charitable work in combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He received more than 250 honors, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts ridding apartheid from South Africa, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Soviet Order of Lenin and the Bharat Ratna. Perhaps his greatest honor was being known by his country as "the father of the nation." He died in 2013 at the age of 95. He remains a powerful figure devoted to peace and social justice in his country and around the world (Nelson, 2014).
Rolihlahia was his given name which means “pulling a branch of a tree or troublemaker.” He was born on July 18, 1918 in a very small village of approximately 200 people, named Mvezo in South Africa. His father Mgadla held a very prominent position as council to the chief of the Thembu tribe. Rolihlahia lived in a hut that was beehive-shaped, had mud walls and a grass roof placed on government land requiring paid rent. The floor was made of dirt and was kept clean and smooth by regularly smearing fresh cow dung upon it. He dressed in a blanket and walked everywhere barefoot and ate mostly corn, sorghum, beans and pumpkins because that is all his family could afford. There was one general store and two very small primary schools. The tribe was generally not well educated and no one knew how to read or write. He was raised to follow customs and rituals, and respect taboos of his people (Mandela, 1996).
Rolihahia’s father died from tuberculosis when he was nine years old and he was placed in the care of his father’s cousin Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who was chief of the Thembu tribe. His religious faith was very important to his new family and because he was now a member of royalty, he attended a Wesleyan school and college, becoming the first in his family to ever receive formal education. When he started school he was named by his teacher, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. He proved to be a bright student and attended Fort Hare, the University of South Africa, and the University of Witwatersrand. While he was at Fort Hare University seeking a Bachelor of Arts Degree he did not finish because he became involved with the Student Representative Council. He joined a boycott against university policies and consequently was asked to leave the college. This was his first recorded political activity (Mandela, 1996). He completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of South Africa through correspondence and studied law at the University of Witwatersrand where he met activists who greatly influenced his life and became a member of the African National Council (ANC). His membership with the ANC was when he first discovered his core moral belief that all races should be treated equally. He felt that any discrimination that was based on color was ignoring the laws of freedom (Mandela, 1996).
During this time in Africa apartheid existed and black Africans were forced to use segregated housing and public facilities from whites. His vision of government focused on extinguishing apartheid (Nelson, 2014). In 1991, Mandela joined forces with President F.W. de Klerk and worked to write a new constitution for South Africa that took effect in 1994. A coalition of government was formed with a non-white majority, marking the official end of the apartheid system. This can relate to our country’s history because of the acts of violence and the separation of blacks and whites in the civil rights movement and even today racial segregation exists (Apartheid, 2010).
Mandela was President of South Africa from 1994-1999. He continued to extinguish apartheid during his presidency through tackling racism, poverty, inequality, and fostering racial reconciliation. While continuing the former government's liberal economic policies, his administration introduced measures to encourage land reform, combat poverty, expand healthcare services and mediate international conflicts (African Library Project).
Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life, but he nevertheless gained international acclaim for his activism. Mandela, later in life, became an elder statesman, focusing on charitable work in combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He received more than 250 honors, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts ridding apartheid from South Africa, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Soviet Order of Lenin and the Bharat Ratna. Perhaps his greatest honor was being known by his country as "the father of the nation." He died in 2013 at the age of 95. He remains a powerful figure devoted to peace and social justice in his country and around the world (Nelson, 2014).
What I found most
interesting about Nelson Mandela was that he was given opportunities that many
African children do not receive. Africa is known for being poverty stricken,
prevalent with AIDS, malaria, and having high illiteracy rates. Compared to the
United States, Africa has a 63% illiteracy rate and the U.S literacy rate is
99%. Of the top 10 countries in the world for the lowest literacy rate; 9 are
in Africa (African Library Project).50% of all people who live in Africa live
below the poverty line and 1 in 6 children will die before their fifth birthday
because of extreme poverty (Smedley, 2014). The culture of poverty says that
people that are born into poverty are socialized to remain in poverty and this
is true of many adults and children that are below the poverty line (Segal,
2013). A large health issue that continues for Africa is AIDS; 70% of the
population is living with the disease as of 2012, and a total of 1.2 million
children and adults die because of the disease (Stats Worldwide, 2012).
The most important aspect about Nelson Mandela was he stood up for what he believed in and what he felt needed to be changed. He started a revolution against the apartheid movement and because of his strong passion for this cause he was imprisoned for almost three decades and released in 1990. This displays great dedication and leadership to his cause. This act of heroism sheds light onto the different political cultures that differentiates the United States from Africa. Americans are able to actively display and advocate for their specific passions and causes without the fear of being unjustly arrested unless their actions entailed something illegal.
Nelson Mandela was a remarkable man that everyone should be able to identify with in some way. Upon reading his life story many events in his life made me take pause about my own life. I was not born into poverty, raised without my bio father but by my single mother who worked full time to meet the needs of my family. I was raised in a very rural area and I can identify with the corner store because we had to travel 30 miles one-way to get to the nearest supermarket. I did not live in a mud hut, but in a remodeled two story house. I could not identify with his lack of clothing. I have so many clothes I have a hard time finding enough storage. I could not identify with his limited quantity and poor quality foods because I count my calories to control my weight and have a wide variety of delicious foods available to me. Like Mandela I was raised with a strong religious background that I know influences my decisions every day. I have experienced education like Mandela having graduated from high school with a regent’s diploma, Corning Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, and Alfred State College with an Associate’s Degree in Human Services. I am currently at Alfred State College to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services Management. Like Mandela I desire to help others. I support any event on campus where money is raised for causes I believe in. I am a member of the SOS organization and I have participated in disaster relief, Habitat for Humanity, was a girl scout for 13 years accomplishing many community services projects, traveled twice to Mexico to help build a mission for blind children, and participated in many day service events. I could freely participate in all of these organizations and causes without fear of retribution by my government, unlike Mandela. I struggled with learning about Mandela’s life because he suffered so for the good of his country.
The most important aspect about Nelson Mandela was he stood up for what he believed in and what he felt needed to be changed. He started a revolution against the apartheid movement and because of his strong passion for this cause he was imprisoned for almost three decades and released in 1990. This displays great dedication and leadership to his cause. This act of heroism sheds light onto the different political cultures that differentiates the United States from Africa. Americans are able to actively display and advocate for their specific passions and causes without the fear of being unjustly arrested unless their actions entailed something illegal.
Nelson Mandela was a remarkable man that everyone should be able to identify with in some way. Upon reading his life story many events in his life made me take pause about my own life. I was not born into poverty, raised without my bio father but by my single mother who worked full time to meet the needs of my family. I was raised in a very rural area and I can identify with the corner store because we had to travel 30 miles one-way to get to the nearest supermarket. I did not live in a mud hut, but in a remodeled two story house. I could not identify with his lack of clothing. I have so many clothes I have a hard time finding enough storage. I could not identify with his limited quantity and poor quality foods because I count my calories to control my weight and have a wide variety of delicious foods available to me. Like Mandela I was raised with a strong religious background that I know influences my decisions every day. I have experienced education like Mandela having graduated from high school with a regent’s diploma, Corning Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, and Alfred State College with an Associate’s Degree in Human Services. I am currently at Alfred State College to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services Management. Like Mandela I desire to help others. I support any event on campus where money is raised for causes I believe in. I am a member of the SOS organization and I have participated in disaster relief, Habitat for Humanity, was a girl scout for 13 years accomplishing many community services projects, traveled twice to Mexico to help build a mission for blind children, and participated in many day service events. I could freely participate in all of these organizations and causes without fear of retribution by my government, unlike Mandela. I struggled with learning about Mandela’s life because he suffered so for the good of his country.
Works Cited
Africa Facts (n.d). African Library
Project- Retrieved March 9, 2014 from
http://www.africanlibraryproject.org/our-african-libraries/africa-facts
http://www.africanlibraryproject.org/our-african-libraries/africa-facts
Smedley, M. (n.d.). Poverty in Africa. Retrieved March 9, 2014,
from thtp://www.slideshare.net/guestc5d67cdd/poverty-in-africa
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