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Long Walk to Freedom

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Nelson Mandela

Long Walk To Freedom is an autobiographical work written by Nelson Mandela in 1995, and published by Holt, Rhinehart and Winston.

The text was dedicated to "[his] six children, Madiba and Makaziwe (my first daughter). who are now deceased, and to Makgatho, Makaziwe, Zenani and Zindzi, whose support and love I treasure; to my twenty-one grandchilden and three great-grandchildren who give me great pleasure; and to all my comreades, friends and fellow South Africans whom I serve and whose courage determination and patriotism remain my source of inspiration."

Within the first parts of the autobiography, Mandela describes his upbring as a child and adolescent in South Africa, and being connected to the royal Thembu dynasty. His childhood name was Rolihlahla, which is loosely translated as "pulling the branch of a tree," or a euphamism for "troublemaker."

Mandela also profoundly describes the death of his father, his introduction to his wife, Winnie Mandela, and most importantly, his education; which he described as a "British education, in which British ideas, British culture, British institutions, were automatically assumed to be superior. There was no such thing as African culture." (p.16) Mandela also goes into great detail about his resentment of his teacher re-naming him for Lord Horatio Nelson.

Within the text, Mandela reveals much of his inspiration that led up to the anti-apartheid movement. In one such instance, he states that "Cheif Joyi's (a leading member of his tribe) war stories and his indictment of the British made me feel angry and cheated, as though I had already been robbed of my birthright." (p.27).

Later in the text, Mandela describes his education at a Thembu college called Clarkebury, and later at the strict Healdtown school, were students were rigorously put in routines. He mentions his education at the University of Fort Hare, and his practice of law later on.

Birth of a Freedom Fighter

Within the second parts of the book, Mandela introduces political and social aspects of apartheid in South Africa, and the influences of politicians such as Daniel Malan who implemented the nadir of African freedoms, as he officially commenced the apartheid policies. Mandela joined the African National Congress in 1950 and describes his organization of guerilla tactics and underground organizations to battle against apartheid.

In 1961, Mandela was convicted for inciting people to strike and leaving the country without a passport and sentenced to five years imprisonment. However, Mandela was shortly thereafter sentenced to life imprisonment for sabotage in what was known as the "Rivonia Trial," by Justice Quartus de Wet, instead of a possible death sentence. (p. 159)

Mandela describes prison time on Robben Island and Pollsmoor Prison. His 27 year tenure in prison was marked by the cruelty of Afrikaaner guards, backbreaking labor, and in miniscule cells which were nearly uninhabitable.

Later, Mandela met with South African president, F.W. de Klerk, and was released in prison in 1990. Mandela became the South African president in 1994.

See also

Further Reading

Mandela, Nelson. Long Walk to Freedom. Austin: Holt Rhinehart &

Wilson. 1995.