DALLAS (SMU) — As the world commemorates the remarkable life of Nelson Mandela (1918-2013), two SMU scholars of history and human rights offer their unique perspectives on his legacy. Mandela’s revolutionary work to end South Africa’s racial segregation system of apartheid led to his spending 27 years in prison beginning in 1963. After his 1990 release, he memorably noted, “The march toward freedom and justice is irreversible.” On Dec. 10, 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and after South Africa’s first democratic and multiracial election, he became the country’s first black president, serving from 1994 to 1999. After devoting his life to humanitarian causes, Mandela, 95, passed away at his Johannesburg home Dec. 5, 2013. READ MORE
Categories