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Born
Nelson Mandela's birth name is Rolihlahla Mandela -
Goes to primary school
Mandela attends primary school near Qunu. Here a teacher gives him the name "Nelson". -
Father died
His father died, and he became ward of Jongintaba at the Great Place in Mqhekezweni. -
Attends Clarkebury Boarding Institute in Engcobo
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Goes to Healdtown a Wesleyan college at Fort Beaufort
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Enrolls at the University College of Fort Hare
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Expelled from University
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Escapes an arranged marriage
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Begins to attend ANC(African National Congress) meetings formally
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Co-founds the ANC Youth Leauge, Marries Evelyn Mtoko Mase
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Elected National Secretary of the ANCYL
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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; Opens South Africa’s first black law firm with Oliver Tambo -
Freedom Charter
Watches as the Congress of the People at Kliptown adopts the Freedom Charter -
Arrested
Arrested and later joins 155 others on trial for teason. All are acquitted by 29 March 1961 -
Divorces Evelyn Mase
Divorces Evelyn Mase; Marries Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela – they have two daughters: Zenani (1959) and Zindzi (1960) -
Sharpeville Massacre
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The ANC is banned
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Goes underground
Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) is formed -
Leaves the country for military training and to garner support for the ANC
Returns to South Africa Arrested near Howick in KwaZulu-Natal Sentenced to five years in prison for incitement and leaving the country without a passport -
Sent to Robben Island
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Mandela, Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni and later Ahmed Kathrada are sent to Pollsmoor Prison
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Rejects, through his daughter, Zindzi, South African President PW Botha's offer to release him if he renounces violence
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Admitted to Tygerberg Hospital where he is diagnosed with tuberculosis
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Released
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Elected ANC Deputy President
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ANC is unbanned
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Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with President FW de Klerk
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Elected by Parliament as first president of a democratic South Africa
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Establishes the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
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Divorces Winnie Mandela
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Marries Graça Machel on his 80th birthday
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Steps down after one term as President, establishes the Nelson Mandela Foundation
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Announces that he will be stepping down from public life
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Announces that his eldest son Makgatho had died of AIDS
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Asks future generations to continue the fight for social justice
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His great-granddaughter Zenani is killed in a car accident
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Formally presented with the Fifa World Cup trophy before it embarks on a tour of South Africa
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Passes away at home in Johannesburg