My Hero: Nelson Mandela

•Circumstances Under Which Mandela Became a Hero•How Mandela Became a Hero•Mandela Becomes a Hero•Why Nelson Mandela Is My Hero•The Future for Nelson Mandela

By Eric Vos

Circumstances Under Which Mandela Became a Hero

•What was Mandela fighting against?

apartheid – a whole body of laws that separated blacks from whites.

•What was the extent of apartheid in South Africa?A little under 20% of South Africans were white = large minority.

How Mandela Became a Hero

•Elected deputy president of African National Congress (ANC) in 1952

•Freedom movement forced to turn to armed struggle – Umkhonto. However, physical violence was never advocated in this movement.

•Sentenced to life in prison on charges of sabotage

How Mandela Became a Hero

•When in jail for 27 years, Mandela was offered time and again his freedom if he would simply renounce the violence. He never did. He only renounced the violence upon being freed.

•Mandela never lost hope. He remembers playing Creon in Sophocles’ “Antigone.” He enjoyed Greek plays, taking from them that “a hero was a man who would not break even under the most trying circumstances.”

Mandela Becomes a Hero

•Known as “the most famous prisoner in the world”

•Began secretly negotiating with the government his release

•Instrumental in creating a pure democratic government in South Africa and toppling apartheid

•Wins first all-race presidential election in South African history in 1994

Mandela Becomes a Hero

“This is one of the most important

moments in the life of our country. I stand before you filled with deep pride and joy — pride in the ordinary, humble people of this

country. You have shown such a calm,

patient determination to reclaim this

country as your own. And joy that we can

loudly proclaim from the rooftops: Free at

last!” http://www.cnn.com/resources/video.almanac/1994/mandela/freeatlast.45.mov

Why Nelson Mandela Is My Hero

Mandela holds every intrinsic heroic trait:•He is a virtuous person and a good role model to those with bleak futures in their midst.•His determination is an example of inspiration to everyone. •His wife, Winnie, indicates his constant selflessness: “If you became involved in our cause as he was, it was just not possible to think in terms of yourself at all.” •His achievements are truly extraordinary.

The Future For Nelson Mandela

“There should be no tensions in any region in which we have

not emerged as the majority party. Let us stretch out our

hands to those who have bitterness and to say to them: ‘We are all South Africans, we

have had a good fight. But now this is the time to heal the old wounds and to build a new

South Africa.’”

http://www.cnn.com/resources/video.almanac/1994/mandela/healwounds.31.mov