Gallery
Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time, an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country. He is also a son, a husband, a father and a grandfather ...
Everyone should have an English name ... Yours will be Nelson
The earliest photo of Nelson Mandela, at the age of 19
A young Mandela in traditional dress
Mandela, the boxer

The only existing image of Nelson Mandela in the law office he ran with Oliver Tambo in downtown Johannesburg, 1952
Mandela burning his pass book during the 1952 Defiance Campaign
Mandela married Winnie Madikizela in June 1958
Mandela outside court during the 1958 treason trial

A pamphlet reproducing Nelson Mandela's speech at the Rivonia Trial of 1964. Mandela had been jailed in August 1962.
August 1983 poster calling for the release of Nelson Mandela, from the ANC newspaper Sechaba
In 1985 the Greater London Council unveiled a statue of Mandela near the Royal Festival Hall
A 1987 poster calling for the release of Nelson Mandela

The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert held in June 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London
Free At Last? - Time magazine, 5 February 1990
FREE AT LAST! - Cape Times, 11 February 1990
Mandela and Winnie on his release from prison

Community newspaper Grassroots documents Nelson Mandela's release from prison in February 1990
Time magazine, 2 July 1990
Time magazine, 3 January 1994
'Mandela for President' - Nelson Mandela on ANC posters for the 1994 elections

City Press, 24 April 1994, three days before the first democratic South African election
A ballot paper for the 1994 democratic elections
Mandela casts his vote on 27 April 1994
It's President Mandela! - The Star, 3 May 1994

Time magazine, 9 May 1994
10 May 1994: Mandela addresses the crowd after his inauguration as president
SA becomes a beacon of hope as President Mandela takes oath of office - The Star, 10 May 1994.
In 1994 Mandela paid a return visit to his Robben Island cell

Mandela congratulating Springbok captain Francois Pienaar after the SA team clinched the 1996 Rugby World Cup
46664, Nelson Mandela's prison number, is used for a campaign to raise awareness of HIV/Aids
Annie Lennox performs at the inaugural 46664 concert in Cape Town in 2003
The launch 46664 concert was watched by some 2-billion people across the world

Mandela addresses the crowd at the inaugural 46664 concert in Cape Town in 2003
Fans at the 46664 Arctic concert in Tromso, Norway, in July 2005
Nelson Mandela on stage at the 46664 Arctic concert in Tromso, Norway, in July 2005
Fans walk past an image of Nelson Mandela outside the 46664 Arctic concert in Tromso, Norway, in July 2005

Mandela with his wife Graca Machel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Peace! Mandela and Bono at the Laureus World Sports Awards
Mandela joins other international celebrity Aids activists in a photo to promote the We All Have Aids campaign
Mandela with Presley Chweneyagae and Terry Pheto, stars of the Oscar-winning movie Tsotsi

Mandela addresses over 22 000 people in Trafalgar Square on behalf of the Make Poverty History coalition
Mandela with US President George W Bush at the White House
The famous Mandela jive
The famous Mandela jiving statue

The official ANC portrait of Mandela
A funky drinks coaster uses a jazzed-up version of the official ANC portrait of Mandela
A mosaic of Mandela
A souvenir plate, the first item sold at Mandela's home in Soweto on the day it opened as a museum

Peace! Nelson Mandela in a safe-sex poster
Portraits of Mandela at the Mandela House museum in Soweto
Badges celebrating Mandela's release from prison in 1990
Mural of Mandela

Statue of Mandela in Pretoria
Mandela as a cartoon superhero, vanquishing invading aliens
Nelson Mandela at the International Women's Forum conference
A Zapiro cartoon in the Sunday Times of 27 June 2004, marking Mandela's retirement

  • Find out more: Nelson Mandela

    • Gallery compiled by Mary Alexander. Particular thanks to the Nelson Mandela Museum

    Photo copyright: SouthAfrica.info does not hold copyright on these photos. Permission for reuse should be sought from the copyright holder indicated below each photograph.

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