Nelson Mandela Passed away

Former South African President Nelson Mandela died at his home in Johannesburg on December 5, 2013. He was 95. Mandela was born in Mvezo, Transkei, South Africa on 18 July 1918. Mandela joined the African National Congress in 1942 and was deeply involved in the anti-apartheid movement in his 20s. He led a nonviolent, non-violent protest movement against the South African Government and its apartheid policies for 20 years.

                                                 In 1993, Mandela and the President of South Africa F.W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly for their efforts to abolish the apartheid regime in that country. In 1994 Mandela became South Africa's first Black Leader. Mandela 's birthday (July 18) was declared Mandela Day in 2009 for fostering world peace and celebrating the legacy of the South African leader. Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 in the tiny village of Mvezo, on the banks of the Mbashe River in Transkei, South Africa. "Rolihlahla" literally means "pulling the branch of a tree" in the Xhosa language but translates more generally as "troublemaker."

Mandela and his second wife, Winnie Madikizela at their wedding in 1958

The father of Nelson Mandela was, destined to be a chief, worked for many years as a counselor to tribal chiefs but lost both his title and fortune over a conflict with the local colonial magistrate. At the time,  Mandela was just an infant, and the loss of status of his father forced his mother to move the family to Qunu. Qunu is a smaller village north of Mvezo. The village was nestled in a small grassy valley; no roads existed, just footpath linking pastures where livestock was grazed. The family lived in huts and ate small maize, sorghum, pumpkin, and beans harvest which was all they could afford. Water came from streams and springs and cooking was done outside. Mandela played the young boys' games, performing male right-of-passage scenarios with toys he made available from the natural materials, including tree branches and clay.
Mandela was baptized in the Methodist Church, at the suggestion of one of his father's relatives. He went on to become his family's first school attender. As was common at the time, and perhaps because of the prejudice of the British education system in South Africa, Mandela's teacher told him Nelson would be his new first name.
When Mandela was nine years old, his father died of lung disease which caused a drastic change in his life. He was adopted by Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo, the Thembu people's acting regent — a gesture done in honor of Mandela 's wife, who had suggested that Jongintaba be made chief years earlier. Afterward, Mandela left the carefree life he knew in Qunu, fearing he would never see his village again. He traveled by motorcar to the royal residence of the chief at Mqhekezweni, the provincial capital of Thembuland. While he had not forgotten his beloved Qunu village, he was swift to adapt to Mqhekezweni 's modern, more sophisticated surroundings.