Mandela, Nelson

The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social and Political Movements, pp. 1–3

Abstract

As one of the leaders of the resistance against apartheid in South Africa, Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) constructed and lived different images of himself over the years to suit his various audiences at home and abroad. His roles included those of youth activist, volunteer‐in‐chief in campaigns of civil disobedience, lawyer, defendant, and prisoner, leader of the African National Congress (ANC), commander‐in‐chief of the ANC's armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the world's most famous political prisoner, president of South Africa (1994–1999), and elder statesman, as well as that of universal icon in the struggle for justice and reconciliation. However, Mandela's opponents portrayed him differently, with the South African government framing him as a terrorist and a communist. The label “terrorist” was also used by the US government, which placed Mandela and other leading ANC members on a list of “terrorists” who were barred from entering the country unless a waiver was granted by the US secretary of state. Mandela's name was finally removed from this list in July 2008, just before his ninetieth birthday.

Authors 1

1. Ineke van Kessel corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, The Netherlands