Nelson Mandela

1918 – 2013

Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and statesman who became the country’s first Black head of state and its first democratically elected president in a fully representative election. As president from 1994 to 1999, he dismantled the legacy of apartheid and championed racial reconciliation, national peace, and multiracial democracy. His leadership of the African National Congress and lifelong dedication to justice and equality established him as a global icon of freedom and human dignity.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM