5 interesting facts about nelson mandela

Considered the Father of South Africa, Nelson Mandela fought for freedom and equal rights throughout his life. The kind of leader he became was greatly influenced by defining moments in his youth, the like-minded people he met and the political opportunities he took. For you to know more, check out these 10 interesting facts about the life of Nelson Mandela.

After his death, Mandela followed in his footsteps and got involved with the monarchy, working as a ward at the Great Place in Mqhekezweni. It was there that he became aware about the contributions of his ancestors to the African plight for freedom, which inspired him to do what he could for the same cause.

Where was nelson mandela born

However, after getting involved in his first student protest, he was kicked out of the university, an interesting Nelson Mandela fact. Regardless of this misfortune, the university unknowingly shaped his life for the better, as this is where he met fellow activist and lifelong friend, Oliver Tambo. After leaving the University College of Fort Hare, the Acting King who he worked for decided to set him up on an arranged marriage.

This prompted him to run away and move to Johannesburg. Ironically enough, it is where he found true love and met his first wife, Evelyn Ntoko Mase, an interesting fact about Nelson Mandela. During this time, he also completed his Bachelor of Arts course in the University of South Africa and met fellow activists who would shape his thinking and influence his ideals of a free country.

Together with his friend Tambo, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress and founded its Youth League whose sole intention was to safeguard and promote the rights of black Africans. It institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination across Africa, where the white minority ruled and other races were treated as lower class citizens.

This injustice motivated Nelson Mandela and fellow members of the ANC to step up their freedom efforts. Throughout his years with the ANC, Mandela got involved in many aggressive campaigns against the government. For one, he became the National Volunteer-in-Chief of the Defiance Campaign, a nonviolent campaign that encouraged civil disobedience to oppose six laws that promoted racial segregation.