Nelson Mandela was the president of the country, South Africa, from 1994 to 1999.

He was born on July 18, 1918. In honor of his birthday and of what a great person he was, July 18th is celebrated as Nelson Mandela Day, not just in South Africa, but around the world.

Mandela was the first black person to be elected president of South Africa. To understand how amazing it was that he won the election and why he is so loved and respected, it will help to know a little about his life and about something called apartheid (uh-PAR-tide. The H is silent. Rhymes with a far tide).

Apartheid was a political system in South Africa that made it against the law for black people and white people to live or work together. Apartheid was very unfair to black people. There were separate schools for blacks and whites and the black schools were not as nice as the white schools.

The places where blacks were forced to live were poor and rundown. Black people were not allowed to vote in elections.

It was against the law for black people to go into places that were for white people only. If a black person tried to go to a white school or go into a white area or shop at a white store or eat at a white restaurant, it was considered a crime. The person could be arrested and put in prison.

What made apartheid even more unfair is that there were many more black people living in South Africa than there were white people, but white people were totally in charge.

Apartheid began in 1948. In the 1950’s, there began to be protests against it. One of the main groups protesting against apartheid was called the African National Congress (ANC).

Nelson Mandela, who was a lawyer, was one of the leaders of the ANC. At the start, ANC protests were nonviolent, but in 1960, police killed 69 protesters. After that, protests became more violent.

In 1962, Mandela was arrested and sent to prison. He would be in prison for 27 years. He spent the first 18 of those years in a dreadful prison on Robben Island. His cell was tiny, only seven feet by eight feet. He had to sleep on a mat on a concrete floor. The prison wardens and guards, who were white, were mean to him.

In prison, he had to work breaking rocks into gravel. Later, he was made to work in a lime quarry. The sun was very bright and he was not allowed to wear sun glasses. The glare damaged his eyes, making it difficult for him to see well. He was only allowed one visitor and one letter every six months.

Later on, his prison cell got a bed and he was allowed to wear pants instead of just shorts. And he was allowed more visitors and letters.

In 1982, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town, where conditions were better.

He would remain in prison for another eight years.

In 1990, a brave white man, F. W. de Klerk, who was the president of South Africa, ended apartheid and had Mandela released from prison.

All the 27 years he was in prison, even with the hard labor and his poor eyesight, Mandela read and studied all that he could. And even though he had suffered many years in prison, when he was released, Mandela didn’t preach hatred, but love and forgiveness.

In 1994, a national election was held and people of all colors were allowed to vote. Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa and did much to better the lives of everyone in his country and to heal the wounds that apartheid had caused.

In 1999, after his term as president was over, he decided not to run for re-election. He continued, however, to work for peace in his country and peace in the world.

He died on December 5, 2013 at age 95.

Fun Facts:

•  When he was born, his name was not Nelson, but Rolihlahla. On his first day of school, he was given the name Nelson by his teacher, Miss Mdingane.

•  On July 18th, Nelson Mandela Day, people are asked to spend 67 minutes helping others in honor of the 67 years Mandela spent serving his country.

•  In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He received many more honors — more than 250! — including the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.

•  In 2009, a movie called Invictus was made. It’s a sports movie about the South Africa rugby team, the Springboks, winning the 1995 rugby World Cup. (It is rated PG-13 for brief strong language.)

•  The movie’s title, Invictus, comes from a poem by that name, which Mandela often read while in prison. Invictus is Latin for undefeated.