Nelson Mandela was the main representative of the movement against the segregationist regime of apartheid, which denied blacks in South Africa political, social and economic rights. Mandela began his political career when he was a young law student.
With the establishment of apartheid in 1948, he radicalized militancy and led a campaign of civil disobedience, helping to consolidate resistance to the regime through a mass movement. He was classified as a terrorist by the government and spent nearly 3 decades in jail, always refusing to compromise his political position in exchange for freedom.
It has become a powerful symbol of resistance and struggle for human rights. With the end of apartheid, he was elected the first black president of South Africa, successfully conducting the peaceful and democratic reunification of the country. He was honored with about 250 awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1993.
