DAY IN HISTORY-February 11

Mandela Released from Prison

He later became the South African president

Nelson Mandela (center) in Johannesburg, 2008. Attribution: South Africa The Good News / www.sagoodnews.co.za — CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Thirty-five years ago, Nelson Mandela walked out of Victor Verser Prison. He was a free man after being jailed for 27 years.

Mandela prided himself on following a non-violent path to fight apartheid, under which the Black majority of South Africa was persecuted by the white minority. But in 1960, when 69 Black protesters were killed by police, Mandela had enough. He led members of the African National Congress (ANC) party in armed rebellion against the government.

Mandela, who was called by his clan name “Madiba” out of respect by his followers, was convicted on charges of sabotage in 1964 and sentenced to life in prison. He faced horrible conditions at the notorious Robben Island Prison for the first 18 years of his incarceration, after which he was moved to other prisons. He was forced to labor in a limestone quarry and later contracted tuberculosis.

During his time in prison, Mandela was told he would be released on several occasions, but only if he agreed to government conditions. He steadfastly refused.

F.W. de Klerk, who was elected president in 1989, began to finally dismantle apartheid. In so doing, he lifted the ban on the ANC and decided to…