The Great Mandela Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Great Mandela - Research Paper Example Mandela belonged to Tembu clan of Xhosa tribe and was loved by many people not only from his clan but also the entire country and globally (Rakoczy 164). Nelson Mandela is a renowned South African freedom fighter who greatly contributed to ending apartheid in South Africa and he also addressed and fought for human rights worldwide. Since 1940s, Mandela remained a strong member of African National Congress (ANC) and he led the movements against the ruling government because they were fed up with the racial discrimination in South Africa. Together with other ANC members, they strongly opposed the minority white rule which was characterized by racial discriminations whereby, individuals were divided based on their racial background because the government itself encouraged racism. His actions made him spend nearly three decades in prison and when he was released in 1990, Mandela participated in the elimination of apartheid in South Africa enabling him to become the country’s first black president in 1994. After finishing his first term in 1999, Mandela retired from active politics and remained committed to promoting peace and social justice in his country and worldwide until his death in 2013. This paper discusses the life of Mandela until his death and it also identifies some of his actions for social justice issues. Mandela was the first in his family to undergo through a formal education and he successfully finished his primary studies at a local missionary school and in 1939, he joined the elite University of Fort Hare, the only open institution to blacks in South Africa. However, in the following year, he and others were sent home for engaging in a boycott against university policies (Rakoczy 165). Mandela escaped to Johannesburg after realizing that his guardian had arranged a marriage for him (Guiloineau 129). He first started working as a watchman but later as a law clerk and the same time pursuing his Bachelor of Arts