Nathan Robert Colley

Paper for Cry the Beloved Country

November 18, 2004

Freedom: Always at a Cost

Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who fought for freedom and equality in our country.

He was not, however, alone in this fight throughout the world. Other great men and women have

risen up in other parts of our world where the ugly head of racial prejudice arose. In South Africa

that man is Nelson Mandela. He has been the enemy of the state, a prisoner, the leader of the new

democracy, a husband, and a father; his journey is one of joy and suffering.

Nelson Mandela, also known as Mediba and “The Black Pimpernel”, was born early in

the 20th century to a royal family. He was named “trouble maker” in his native tongue and later

renamed Nelson Mandela by one of his teachers. He was the first, in his family of 13 children, to

go to school, which he did at the age of 7. It was his native family rituals that sent him to

Johannesburg when he was 23, fleeing a marriage that had been arranged for him.

In Johannesburg, Mandela found work at the mines where he saw, firsthand, the

oppression of the black people by the minority whites. At that time 4 million whites were ruling

over 30 million blacks. This observation, along with the great poverty and segregation that ran so

rampant in Johannesburg, began to eat away at Mandela; and in 1948 the segregation that was

practiced was put into law by the election of white Afrikaners nationals to power. Mandela

describes these men as graves, “beautiful outside, and full of evil inside.”

It was around this time that Nelson began to be noticed for his leadership abilities and

was encouraged to pursue law. He and a partner ran the first black law firm in S. Africa where

they defended blacks against racist pass law offenses. It was also during this time that the
African National Congress (ANC), of which Mandela was in leadership, began to protest in the

streets. These protests started as peaceful opposition, but began to get violent.

A large group of the leaders of the ANC were arrested and put on trial for treason which

dragged on for about 3 ½ years. This did not end Mandela up in jail; instead, he got married to

another political activist named Winnie. The atmospheric tension was readily rising and Mandela

began to study the art of war and explosives. He felt the time for peace was over and it was

necessary to turn up the heat, in order to be heard. So, in 1961, they began to sabotage different

critical sites, such as power supplies. All in all, they attempted about 200 different acts of

sabotage in 2 years.

In 1962, as Mandela was returning to South Africa from military training, he was

arrested. He was accused of illegally leaving the country and for inciting strife. This time he was

sentenced to five years in prison, but a year later he was called back to prison, this time with

other leaders. They were charged with conspiring against the nation and could have gotten the

death sentence. After a three week delay for a verdict, they were all sentenced, but one, to life in

prison with hard labor.

It was to Robben Island that Mandela was sent, where he would spend 18 years of the

total 27 year in prison. Even there, in prison, Mandela became a leader and refused to be

psychologically beaten, even though the guards would burn their mail severely limit visits from

family. While Mandela was in prison, the war for freedom outside raged on, and he became the

symbol for African freedom. Many huge gatherings were held, some with violence, protesting

that Mandela be set free.

It was not until 1989, when a new president was elected that headway was truly gained.

In February of 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, unconditionally. Later, Mandela
became the President of South Africa and the freedom and equality that he had fought so hard for

was established.

Today, Mandela, 85 years old, lives a very busy life traveling around the world

promoting education and awareness. He is strongly supported by the government which once

imprisoned him. He believes, “No country can succeed, if the future leaders are not educated,”

and so he establishes schools and raises funds for the needy. He walks with humility and

attempts to not waste any of the time he has left. Mandela is man who does not live in the past,

consumed with bitterness and hatred, but lives in the present, for the sake of tomorrow.

“Mandela: Journey to Freedom.” David Dimbleby. BBC, 2003. Discovery Times. 15 Nov. 2004.