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Nelson Mandela

  • Nelson Mandela is born

  • Father dies

    His father dies and he is taken to be raised by the Acting King of the Thembu people
  • Undergoes initiation

    Enrolls at Clarkebury Boarding Institute at Engcobo
  • Enrols at Healdtown

    Enrols at Healdtown, the Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort
  • Enrolls at the University of Fort Hare

    Enrolls at the University of Fort Hare in Alice
  • Is expelled

    Is expelled from the University of Fort Hare
  • Runs away

    Runs away to Johannesburg
  • Completes his BA through

    Completes his BA through Unisa
  • Enrols for an LLB

    Enrols for an LLB at Wits University
  • Co-founds the ANC Youth League; marries Evelyn Mase

  • Is elected National Secretary of the ANC Youth League

  • Is elected President of the ANC Youth League

  • Is Volunteer-in-Chief of the Defiance Campaign

    is sentenced to nine months in prison suspended for two years with 19 others for their role in the campaign; is banned for the first time; is asked to leave Wits over unpaid debt; starts South Africa’s first black law firm, Mandela & Tambo
  • Watches in secret as the Freedom Charter is adopted in Kliptown

  • Is arrested

    Is arrested and charged with high treason with 155 others
  • 1958: Divorces Evelyn Mase and marries Winnie Madikizela

  • ANC and PAC are banned

    ANC and PAC are banned after the Sharpeville Massacre
  • Is acquitted in Treason Trial

    goes underground; calls on Verwoerd to set up talks on a non-racial future for South Africa; calls for a three-day strike in May over South Africa becoming a republic; is selected as Commander-in-Chief of Umkhonto weSizwe
  • Secretly leaves the country

    Secretly leaves the country for military training and to get support for the armed struggle; arrested on 5 August; sentenced to five years in prison for leaving the country without a passport and encouraging the strike
  • Joins 10 others on trial for sabotage

    Joins 10 others on trial for sabotage in the Rivonia Trial
  • Sentenced with seven others to life imprisonment

  • Starts meeting with the government

    Starts meeting with the government to persuade them to talk to the ANC
  • Is treated for TB

    Is treated for TB in hospital for three months
  • Graduates with an LLB from Unisa

  • Is released

    Released from Victor Verster Prison; leads ANC delegation in talks with the government
  • awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

    Is jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with FW de Klerk for their efforts to end apartheid
  • Votes in South Africa’s first democratic election

    Votes in South Africa’s first democratic election; is inaugurated as President; his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, is published
  • Starts the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund

    Starts the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and donates to it a third of his presidential salary
  • Steps down after only one term as president

    Steps down after only one term as president; starts the Nelson Mandela Foundation
  • Starts the Mandela Rhodes Foundation

    Starts the Mandela Rhodes Foundation to build leadership in Africa
  • Retires

    Finally retires, saying, "Don’t call me, I’ll call you."
  • Prompts the formation of Mandela Day

    Says to the youth, "It’s in your hands to create a better world", prompting the formation of Mandela Day
  • Nelson Mandela International Day is proclaimed

    Nelson Mandela International Day is proclaimed by the United Nations
  • Publishes his book

    Publishes his book, Conversations with Myself
  • Publishes his book, Nelson Mandela By Himself

    Publishes his book, Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorised Book of Quotations
  • Passes away

    Passes away peacefully at his home in Johannesburg aged 95