Nelson Mandela biography Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, born on July 18, 1918, in the royal Thembu family of Cape Province, South Africa, was a revolutionary leader who devoted his entire life to fighting against racial discrimination and injustice. Though he came from an affluent family, Mandela chose a life of struggle for the freedom and equality of his people. His teacher gave him the name “Nelson,” and after losing his father at the age of nine, he began to see the harsh realities of colonial rule. In 1939, he joined the University of Fort Hare for a Bachelor’s degree and later studied law at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was the only Black student and first experienced racism. Deeply moved by the inequality faced by Africans, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) and later helped form its Youth League, believing that the youth were vital to the freedom struggle. At a time when only white citizens could vote, Mandela organized strikes and boycotts ag...