Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 (among over 100 other awards), celebrates his 90 birthday today. Mandela was the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election in South Africa.So this dude spent 27 years in a dark, dank prison cell on an island for fighting against the injustice the indigenous people of South Africa endured from their colonial oppressors. Blacks were forced to live on relatively small and economically unproductive reservations, much like our native Indians were forced to deal with. He got out of jail and became the countries first black president. He credits Mahatma Gandhi as a major source of inspiration.
Happy birthday Nelson and thanks for your contributions to the human race.
Check out this great video from The Specials. I listen to this often around the time I was living in London, demonstrating in front of the South African Embassy to protest Apartheid and the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela:
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