Early Life and Education (1918–1943)
- 1918 (July 18): Born in Mvezo, Transkei, South Africa
- 1927: Father dies; Mandela is placed under the guardianship of Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo
- 1939: Enrolls at the University of Fort Hare
- 1940: Expelled for participating in a student protest
- 1941: Moves to Johannesburg; begins working and becomes involved in politics
- 1942: Joins the African National Congress (ANC)
Political Activism Begins (1944–1960)
- 1944: Co-founds the ANC Youth League (ANCYL)
- 1944: Marries Evelyn Mase, his first wife
- 1952: Leads the Defiance Campaign; sentenced to 9 months suspended for “statutory communism”
- 1952: Opens South Africa’s first black law firm with Oliver Tambo
- 1955: Helps adopt the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People
- 1956: Arrested and charged with treason (Treason Trial begins)
From Resistance to Imprisonment (1960–1990)
- 1960: Sharpeville Massacre; ANC banned
- 1961: Helps form Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), ANC’s armed wing
- 1962: Arrested and sentenced to 5 years for incitement
- 1963–64: Rivonia Trial – Mandela and others charged with sabotage
- 1964 (June 12): Sentenced to life imprisonment
- 1964–1982: Imprisoned on Robben Island
- 1982: Transferred to Pollsmoor Prison, then Victor Verster Prison (1988)
🕊️ Freedom and Presidency (1990–1999)
- 1990 (Feb 11): Released from prison after 27 years
- 1991: Elected President of the ANC
- 1993: Wins Nobel Peace Prize jointly with F.W. de Klerk
- 1994 (April 27): Elected President in South Africa’s first multiracial elections
- 1994 (May 10): Inaugurated as first black President of South Africa
- 1995: Champions national unity at Rugby World Cup
- 1999: Steps down after one term as president
🌍 Post-Presidency and Legacy (2000–2013)
- 2004: Retires from public life
- 2008: Celebrates his 90th birthday, calling for world peace
- 2010: Appears at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa
- 2013 (December 5): Dies in Johannesburg at age 95
- 2013 (December 15): Buried in Qunu, Eastern Cape
