Richard Stengel assisted Nelson Mandela with his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom (1993) and produced a documentary about his life three years later. They also collaborated on Mandela's Way (2010) which offers fifteen lessons on his leadership style, philosophy of life and lessons he learned during this twenty-seven years in prison. Mandela is a genuinely modest and humane man whose entire life was given over to the cause of social justice, the emancipation of the black majority in South Africa and the abolition of the apartheid regime. In prison, he learned the lessons of patience, self-discipline, respect and understanding for his opponents and consensus-building that served him well when he became the first democratically-elected president of South Africa in 1994. He also learned when to quit, which is why he served only one term, unlike other African nationalist leaders who became dictators. Among the challenges he faced over the years were the great difficulties in leading a democratic transition in a country that had always had minority rule, convincing his own followers in the African National Congress (ANC) to give up the violent struggle, and dealing with the major social and economic problems left over from the apartheid regime. He also faced tribal violence from the Inkatha Zulu Party, encouraged and supported by white Nationalists and the secret police, and the fact that most blacks lacked adequate health care, housing and education. Few leaders of any
“To deny people their right to human rights is to challenge their very humanity. To impose on them a wretched life of hunger and deprivation is to dehumanize them. But such has been the terrible fate of all black persons in our country under the system of apartheid (“In Nelson Mandela’s own words”). Nelson Mandela was a moral compass symbolizing the struggle against racial oppression. Nelson Mandela emerged from prison after twenty-seven years to lead his country to justice. For twenty-seven years he sat in a cell because he believed in a country without apartheid, a country with freedom and human rights. He fought for a country where all people were equal, treated with respect and given equal opportunity. Nelson Mandela looms large in the
Nelson Mandela remains to be one of the most influential people in the history of South Africa. He defeated apartheid and transformed South Africa into one united nation. Mandela showed phat resiliency by going from prisoner to president, but before he could accomplish all of this, he had a lot of work to do. His main focuses were on the freedoms and obligations of his people. He compared the two words and showed us in his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, what they meant to him.
Mandela was imprisoned in South Africa from 1964-82. During the period of his imprisonment his public reputation grew. Upon his release from prison, he was considered the most prominent leader in black South Africa and he was a strong symbol of resistance in the anti-apartheid movement. Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s president in 1994. His main leadership qualities characteristics were his determination, persistence, focus and will.
During the reign of the Apartheid regime Nelson Mandela was born and raised. Nelson Mandela was a South African lawyer and prominent activist. He was also the leader of the African National Congress party and the first black President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He is known for his devotion and struggle against the Apartheid regime.
Mandela had tried for years to get what he deserves. "Mr.Mandela was released from prison and talks on forming a new multi-racial democracy for South Africa began."(2) Life turned upside down for Nelson for 27 years (1964-1990) and he still fought for his beliefs. He even fought even without trying, his "fans" launched an international camp In this articles Nelson Mandela's life and times do it describe a heroic person. Nelson Mandela shows multiple traits of a hero. The first trait that came to my mind was brave. The next one that came to my mind were caring. The final personality that popped in my mind were selfless. Nelson Mandela has shown the tremendous amount of change to South
Nelson Mandela once stated “there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountain tops of our desires.” This powerful quote was a summary of his life. Nelson was a liberating activist in South Africa. His purpose as a leader was to end apartheid and advocate for human rights. On the journey to his purpose, Nelson loved, lived and lost. Nelson fulfilled his duty as a vocation leader but at the cost of his freedom, family and life.
Nelson Mandela was in activist for the civil right movement. I chose him because he is very famous throughout the world and I had done research about him in the past. I also, wanted to know more about him and the reason why he spend so much time in prison.How was his spirit still not broken?Later on, I find out that he was sent to jail because he stood up against a government that was committing an egregious human rights abuses against blacks and South Africans. So I also wanted to know why the people liked him so much in South Africa? People loved him so much because he was giving peaceful speeches and non-violence marches that was giving the people hope.
1. How the individual obtained their leadership i.e. their pathway to leadership (Qualifications, status, being, articulate or intelligent, lobbing others)
The world has seen a number of leaders that show themselves throughout the course of history Martin Luther king with The civil rights movement, and George Washington and the fight for the independence of America, these are ample reminder that with every endeavor that humans take on, leaders will emerge. Each one of those leaders had a vision of equality, and they were willing to do everything possible to reach that goal. One of these leaders was Nelson Mandela with his peaceful fight for civil rights in South Africa. Nelson Mandela was a man who was true to his word and dedicated to equality and peace. The fact that he was president isn’t what makes him stand out, but the fact that he effectively executed many leadership qualities, this
The black population in fact more than quadrupled that of the white population, yet it was the white community that owned nearly 90% of the land leaving the black population with only twenty percent of the overall wealth in the country.[7] Such was the disparity in living conditions that the infant mortality rate of the black community averaged somewhere near thirty percent with compared to two point seven for white families.[8] The climax of centuries of white oppression came to a head following the Boipatong Massacre with a small number of radicals turning the fight to overthrow apartheid into a struggle to fight the oppression of the white minority and exact revenge for generations upon generations of injustice they had carried out.
Nelson Mandela was an exceptional leader, as President he took South Africa to somewhere it had never been. He valued his time as President, because he knew his time was limited; often working days without a break. Each step of the way he took risks for the good of the people. When told he was ‘risking his political capital and his future as a leader’, he replied, “The day I am afraid to do that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.”
Imagine being systematically oppressed from the moment you exited the womb. All your civil rights, based on the amount of melanin in your skin. Drinking from the wrong water fountain, could even get you thrown into jail. Coincidently; this was the life, of black South Africans from the moment of Dutch colonization in 1652, to the first true democratic election in 1994. Apartheid, meaning “separateness” in Afrikaans; was legal segregation enforced by The National Party (NP) from 1948 to 1994. It legally imposed preexisting policies of racial discrimination on the Majority of the South African population. The entire basis of the racist policies, was the darker your complexion the less legal rights you had. Presumably this injustice, could have continued much longer if it weren’t for all involved in the fight against the NP, however the man who arguably contributed the most, was Nelson Mandela. He ended an apartheid, with both his philanthropy and political prowess. He united a nation that used to be segregated; which seemed a daunting task at the time, but through the sweat and bloodshed he achieved the impossible. This alone exhibited his heroic characteristics, but to be more precise: both his actions and inactions lead to his success. Furthermore, Mandela was both a strong leader and forgiving at the same-time. Being in the forefront of the abolishment movement, was an extremely risky move during the apartheid. He risked his life for what he believed in, and this personal
Nelson Mandela devoted his life advocating for human rights. He served 27 years in prison but thrived following his release. Mandela became the first black president of South Africa and proceeded to inspire thousands with his speeches. During this time South Africa faced the challenges of overcoming the legacy of the Apartheid. Inequality, racism, and poverty would have to end in order for the country to prevail. He made people realize, “Dealing with these challenges also means accepting the facts of our history” (Mandela 3). Mandela faced the problems within his society head-on. In addition to this, he was willing to accept the country's flaws and the country was far from reaching its fullest potential. He was able to help his country gain a safe water
Nelson Mandela in his book, Long Walk to Freedom argues through the first five parts that a black individual must deal, coop, and grow through a society that is hindering their lives' with apartheid and suppression of their rightful land. Rolihlanla Mphakanyiswa or clan name, Madiba was born on July 18, 1918 in a simple village of Mvezo, which was not accustomed to the happenings of South Africa as a whole. His father was an respected man who led a good life, but lost it because of a dispute with the magistrate. While, his mother was a hard-working woman full of daily choirs. His childhood was full of playing games with fellow children and having fun. In school, Mandela was given his English name of Nelson. After his father's death, he
Nelson Mandela is recognized for his leadership as a peacemaker and for distinctive aspects of his peacemaking practices all throughout the world. He was the leader of one of the most incredible political transitions in human history. Mandela is known as one of the great moral and political leaders of our times; an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa, won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country.