Few lives have been thoroughly
chronicled as that of former South
African President Nelson Mandela,
who died on Thursday at the age of
95.
From his earliest days as a scion of
South African royalty to his activism
against racism and apartheid in South
Africa, Mandela and his heroism has
literally created history for more than
75 years. But even international icons
such as Mandela have little-known
facts in their backgrounds.
Here are 20 facts you may not
know about Madiba.
1) Nelson Mandela was born into the
royal Thembu family.
2) His first treason trial lasted five
years from 1956 to 1961. Mandela was
found not guilty.
3) Though Mandela rejected violence
in his later years, he co-founded the
militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in
1961 which bombed government
targets.
4) Most people know Mandela was
imprisoned at the Robben Island
prison but Mandela was also held at
Pollsmoor Prison and Victor
Verster Prison during his 27 year
sentence.
5) Mandela is the only person to ever
receive both the US Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the Soviet Order
of Lenin and the Nobel Peace Prize.
6) Mandela’s name, Rolihlahla,
means troublemaker.
7) Mandela’s father, Gadla Henry
Mphakanyiswa, was a local chief in
the Transkei region and had four
wives.
8) Mandela was baptized a
Methodist.
9) Mandela was circumcised at the
age of 16 in a ceremony called
Dalibunga
10) Ballroom dancing was among
Mandela’s skills.
11) Prior to his death, he was the only
living person to be made an honorary
Canadian citizen.
12) When Stevie Wonder dedicated to
Mandela his 1985 Oscar Award for
the song “I Just Called to Say I Love
You,” Wonder’s music was banned by
the South African Broadcasting
Corporation.
13) In 1998, Mandela married his
third wife, Graca Machel, at the age
of 80. She was the widow of former
Mozambican president and ally on
South Africa’s freedom struggle,
Samora Michel, who had died 12 years
earlier.
14) Mandela appeared in the 1992
film “Malcolm X.”
15) In the days following his release
from prison in 1990, Mandela stayed
at the home of Archbishop Desmond
Tutu.
16) President Ronald Reagan
considered Mandela a communist
terrorist and worked against the
African National Congress.
17) Mandela’s first son, Thembi,
died in a car accident in 1969.
18) Mandela’s eyesight was
permanently damaged from sun glare
while being forced to work in prison
without sunglasses.
19) In 1953, Mandela and ANC
associate, Oliver Tambo, founded
the only Black African law firm in
South Africa.
20) Mandela was 9-years-old when
his father died of a lung disease
chronicled as that of former South
African President Nelson Mandela,
who died on Thursday at the age of
95.
From his earliest days as a scion of
South African royalty to his activism
against racism and apartheid in South
Africa, Mandela and his heroism has
literally created history for more than
75 years. But even international icons
such as Mandela have little-known
facts in their backgrounds.
Here are 20 facts you may not
know about Madiba.
1) Nelson Mandela was born into the
royal Thembu family.
2) His first treason trial lasted five
years from 1956 to 1961. Mandela was
found not guilty.
3) Though Mandela rejected violence
in his later years, he co-founded the
militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in
1961 which bombed government
targets.
4) Most people know Mandela was
imprisoned at the Robben Island
prison but Mandela was also held at
Pollsmoor Prison and Victor
Verster Prison during his 27 year
sentence.
5) Mandela is the only person to ever
receive both the US Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the Soviet Order
of Lenin and the Nobel Peace Prize.
6) Mandela’s name, Rolihlahla,
means troublemaker.
7) Mandela’s father, Gadla Henry
Mphakanyiswa, was a local chief in
the Transkei region and had four
wives.
8) Mandela was baptized a
Methodist.
9) Mandela was circumcised at the
age of 16 in a ceremony called
Dalibunga
10) Ballroom dancing was among
Mandela’s skills.
11) Prior to his death, he was the only
living person to be made an honorary
Canadian citizen.
12) When Stevie Wonder dedicated to
Mandela his 1985 Oscar Award for
the song “I Just Called to Say I Love
You,” Wonder’s music was banned by
the South African Broadcasting
Corporation.
13) In 1998, Mandela married his
third wife, Graca Machel, at the age
of 80. She was the widow of former
Mozambican president and ally on
South Africa’s freedom struggle,
Samora Michel, who had died 12 years
earlier.
14) Mandela appeared in the 1992
film “Malcolm X.”
15) In the days following his release
from prison in 1990, Mandela stayed
at the home of Archbishop Desmond
Tutu.
16) President Ronald Reagan
considered Mandela a communist
terrorist and worked against the
African National Congress.
17) Mandela’s first son, Thembi,
died in a car accident in 1969.
18) Mandela’s eyesight was
permanently damaged from sun glare
while being forced to work in prison
without sunglasses.
19) In 1953, Mandela and ANC
associate, Oliver Tambo, founded
the only Black African law firm in
South Africa.
20) Mandela was 9-years-old when
his father died of a lung disease
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