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[[Image:Mandela2.jpg|right|thumb]]

[[Image:Mandela2.jpg|right|thumb]]

Nelson Mandela is a black South African leader who fought hard against apartheid up until he was imprisoned in 1964.  He was released in 1990 and went on to become South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994.

'''Nelson Mandela''' (b. July 18, 1918 in the Transkei) is a [[African American|black]] [[South Africa]]n leader who fought hard against [[apartheid]] until he was imprisoned in 1964.  He was released in 1990 and went on to become South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994.

== Early Life and Political Socialization ==

== Early Life and Political Socialization ==

   

   

'''Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela''' was born July 18, 1918 in the Transkei.  Almost immediately, we see Mandela plunged into political life, as his father was the ‘right hand man’ to the Acting Paramount Chief of Thembuland (ANC archive).  Although the reasons as to his political socialization are evident and obvious, one ought to consider the ramifications of his environment; for instance, it can be argued that the class system in South Africa erupted his ideals:  “Ideologies and ideologists arise in class-divided societies…” (Ball and Dagger)  If this is true, then it is vital to speak of Mandela and apartheid as two sides to the same coin.

Almost immediately, we see Mandela plunged into political life, as his father was the ‘right hand man’ to the Acting Paramount Chief of Thembuland (ANC archive).  Although the reasons as to his political socialization are evident and obvious, one ought to consider the ramifications of his environment; for instance, it can be argued that the class system in South Africa erupted his ideals:  “Ideologies and ideologists arise in class-divided societies…” (Ball and Dagger)  If this is true, then it is vital to speak of Mandela and apartheid as two sides to the same coin.

Mandela’s primary education began in a local mission school, and his secondary education was completed in a Wesleyan institute in Healdtown.  Around this time, he began to see many of the cases in the Chief’s courts, many involving apartheid issues, and this primed him to want to become a lawyer instead of taking his father’s place in Thembuland politics (ANC archive).

Mandela’s primary education began in a local mission school, and his secondary education was completed in a Wesleyan institute in Healdtown.  Around this time, he began to see many of the cases in the Chief’s courts, many involving apartheid issues, and this primed him to want to become a lawyer instead of taking his father’s place in Thembuland politics (ANC archive).