Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918–2013) was a global anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who became South Africa’s first democratically elected president. Born into the Thembu royal family in the Eastern Cape, he trained as a lawyer and co-founded the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League in 1944. He initially championed non-violent resistance against the ruling white minority's harsh system of racial segregation, known as apartheid.After the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, Mandela concluded that non-violent protest was no longer enough. He helped establish the militant wing of the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe ("Spear of the Nation"), leading a sabotage campaign against the state. This led to his 1964 conviction and a life sentence. He spent 27 years in prison, most notably on Robben Island, where he became an international symbol of resistance against oppression. He consistently refused conditional release, insisting that a slave could not negotiate.Mandela's eventual release in 1990 marked the beginning of South Africa's transition to multiracial democracy. Working alongside President F.W. de Klerk (with whom he jointly won the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize), he negotiated the peaceful dismantling of apartheid. In 1994, he was inaugurated as president, leading a government focused on racial reconciliation and healing through the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).Retiring in 1999, he dedicated his later life to charitable work through the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Known affectionately by his clan name, Madiba, his legacy is defined by his unwavering commitment to freedom, equality, forgiveness, and the vision of a "rainbow nation."