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Date Born
Nelson Mandela is born -
Expellsion
Mandela is expelled from Fort Hare University for taking part in a student protest. -
Joining
Mandela joins the African National Congress. -
ANC and His First Wife
He forms the Youth League of the ANC with Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu. Mandela marries his first wife, Evelyn Mase, with whom he has three children. They were divorced in 1957. -
Partnership
Mandela opens a legal partnership with Oliver Tambo in Jo'burg. -
Treason Trial
Mandela is arrested and charged with treason. He is one of the accused in the Treason Trial. -
His Second Wife
Mandela marries his second wife, Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela (Winnie). -
Banning
He is acquitted of treason. The ANC, now banned, moves underground. Umkhonto weSizwe is formed with Mandela as commander-in-chief. -
Arrested
He is arrested for 'inciting a strike” and receives a five-year prison sentence. He spends his first two weeks on Robben Island. -
Trial
While in prison Mandela is put on trial for treason and receives a life sentence. -
Prison Switch
Mandela is moved from Robben Island to Pollsmoor Prison. -
Refusal
Mandela is offered conditional release, which he refuses. -
Releasing
Mandela is released from prison -
Unbanning
The ANC is unbanned. -
ANC Leader
He becomes president of the ANC. -
Nobel Peace Prize
Mandela is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with FW de Klerk. -
President
Mandela becomes the first black president of South Africa on May 10 1994. -
Divorcing
He divorces Winnie. -
Retiring from ANC
Mandela retires as president of the ANC. -
His Third Wife
He marries Graça Machel on his 80th birthday. -
Retiring From Presidency
He steps down as South African president to make way for Thabo Mbeki, who was nominated ANC president in 1997. -
Death
He died, surrounded by his family, in his house in Houghton, Johannesburg, South Africa at the age of 95 after suffering from a prolonged respiratory infection.