Fun Facts About Nelson Mandela
- Nelson Mandela remained on the US terrorism watchlist until 2008, because the US State and Defense departments had designated the ANC a terrorist organization.[1]
- Mandela's birth name, Rolihlahla, is a Xhosa term colloquially meaning "troublemaker." A teacher at his Methodist school gave him the English name Nelson.[1]
- While wanted by the police, Mandela traveled the country disguised as a chauffeur. The press called him the "Black Pimpernel" after the novel The Scarlet Pimpernel.[1]
- A former American diplomat later said that the CIA, fearing Mandela's links with communists, told the South African police where to find him before his 1962 arrest.[1]
- The "Mandela effect," a false memory shared by many people, is named after the widespread false memory that Mandela died in prison in the 1980s.[1]
- In prison, Mandela studied Afrikaans, hoping to build mutual respect with the warders and win them over to his cause.[1]
- Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher were born 7 years apart, and both died in 2013.[1][2][3][4]
- Nelson Mandela was alive at the same time as Taylor Swift — their lives overlapped for 24 years (1989–2013).[1][2][5][6]
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist and statesman who was the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first Black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His administration focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by fostering racial reconciliation, a national peace accord and eventual multiracial democracy. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist, he served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.[1]
Read more on Wikipedia →Contemporaries
Their World
Questions About Nelson Mandela
When was Nelson Mandela born?
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, and died on December 5, 2013.
How old was Nelson Mandela at death?
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, and died on December 5, 2013, at age 95.
What was Nelson Mandela known for?
Nelson Mandela was known for: Anti-apartheid hero, South African President. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist and statesman who was the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first Black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His administration focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by fostering racial reconciliation, a national peace accord and eventual multiracial democracy. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist, he served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.
Who was alive at the same time as Nelson Mandela?
Nelson Mandela's closest contemporary was Stan Lee. Their lives overlapped for 91 years.
Sources
- Nelson Mandela — Wikipedia. Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nelson Mandela (Q8023) — Wikidata
- Margaret Thatcher — Wikipedia
- Margaret Thatcher (Q7416) — Wikidata
- Taylor Swift — Wikipedia
- Taylor Swift (Q26876) — Wikidata
- Portrait: Nelson Mandela 1994.jpg — Wikimedia Commons. © copyright John Mathew Smith 2001, CC BY-SA 2.0