Why is Nelson Mandela a hero?
He became a leader in the ANC, and pushed hard for the congress to follow Gandhi's non-violence approach. He started to doubt that his approach would work and started up an armed branch of the ANC. He planned to bomb certain buildings, but only the buildings, as he wanted no one to be hurt. He was classified as a terrorist by the South African government and sent to prison where he would spend the next 27 years of his life. His prison sentence brought international visibility to the anti-apartheid movement. He was finally released through international pressure in 1990. Once released from prison, Nelson continued his campaign to end apartheid. His hard work and life long effort paid off when all races were allowed to vote in the 1994 election. Mandela won the election and became president of South Africa. There were many times during the process where violence threatened to break out. Mandela was a strong force in keeping the calm and preventing a major civil war.
Revealing:
Apartheid was a terrible time for the black South Africans, but Mandela's courageous spirit and determination to make a change inspired millions around the world. He shed light on those who were suffering during tough times.
