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Rolihlahla Mandela was born into the Madiba clan in the village of Mvezo Transkei, on 18 July 1918.
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Attends primary school near Qunu (receives the name ‘Nelson’ from a teacher)
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Undergoes initiation; Attends Clarkebury Boarding Institute in Engcobo
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Completes BA through the University of South Africa (UNISA)
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Elected President of the ANCYL
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Defiance Campaign begins; Arrested and charged for violating the Suppression of Communism Act; Elected Transvaal ANC President; Convicted with J.S Moroka, Walter Sisulu and 17 others under the Suppression of Communism Act; Sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour, suspended for two years; Elected first of ANC deputy presidents; Opens South Africa’s first black law firm with Oliver Tambo
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Watches as the Congress of the People at Kliptown adopts the Freedom Charter
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Leaves the country for military training and to garner support for the ANC
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Appears in court for the first time in what becomes known as the Rivonia Trial, with Walter Sisulu, Denis Goldberg, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel 'Rusty' Bernstein, Raymond Mhlaba, James Kantor, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni
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Admitted to the Volks Hospital for prostate surgery
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ANC is banned
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Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with President FW de Klerk
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Votes for the first time in his life
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Elected by Parliament as first president of a democratic South Africa
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Inaugurated as President of the Republic of South Africa
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Steps down after one term as President, establishes the Nelson Mandela Foundation
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Spends New Year’s Day with members of his family in Johannesburg
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Passes away at home in Johannesburg
