1919

His father is dispossessed of his land and money on the orders of a white magistrate

1927

His father dies. The acting chief of the Thembu clan, Jongintaba Dalindyebo becomes his guardian and ensures he receives an excellent education

1937

Moves to Healdtown attending the Wesleyan college in Fort Beaufort.

Fort Hare University: Studied for a B.A. and met his lifelong friend Oliver Tambo

1939

Asked to leave Fort Hare due to his involvement in a boycott of the Students' Representative Council against the university policies

Moves to Johannesburg to escape an arranged marriage and experiences the system of apartheid which forbade the black population to vote, travel without permission or own land

Worked as a guard at a mine and then clerk at a law firm

Completed his degree via a correspondence course at the University of South Africa

Studies Law at the University of Witwatersrand whilst living in Alexandra

1943

Joins the African National Congress (ANC) as an activist.

1944

Forms the Youth League of the ANC with Oliver Tambo and Walter Sislu

Marries his first wife Evelyn Ntoko Mase. The couple had three children but the marriage breaks up in 1957

1948

South African government (Afrikaner-dominated National Party) limits the freedom of black Africans even more when the apartheid policy of racial segregation is introduced across the country

1952

Opens the first black legal firm in South Africa with fellow lawyer Oliver Tambo providing free or low-cost legal counsel to many blacks who would otherwise have been without legal representation.

Mandela was prominent in the ANC's 1952 Defiance Campaign

1955

Freedom Charter adopted at the Congress of the People calling for equal rights and a program of the anti-apartheid cause

1956

December 5: Accused of conspiring to overthrow the South African state by violent means with 155 other political activists and charged with high treason. The Treason Trial of 1956–61 follows and all were acquitted

1957

His marriage of 13 years to his first wife Evelyn Ntoko Mase breaks up

1958

Marries Nomzamo "Winnie" Madikizela, a social worker, and the couple have two children. Their marriage ended in separation in April 1992 and divorce in March 1996

1959

Parliament passes new laws extending racial segregation by creating separate homelands for  major black groups in South Africa

The ANC loses most of its financial and militant support when members break away to form the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) under Potlako Leballo and Robert Sobukwe

1960

Sharpeville Massacre: Police kill 69 peaceful protestors and the ANC is banned

Mandela goes into hiding and forms an underground military group with armed resistance

1961

Issues a call to arms and becomes the ANC leader of the newly formed Umkhontoat guerrilla movement at the All-In African Conference

1962

August 5: Arrested after living on the run for seventeen months and was imprisoned in the Johannesburg Fort.

25 October 25: Nelson Mandela was sentenced to five years in prison but again goes on the run

1964

June 12:  Captured and convicted of sabotage and treason and sentenced to life imprisonment at the age of 46, initially on Robben island where he would be kept for 18 years

1965

Rhodesia gains its independence and only whites are represented in the new government

1968

His mother dies and his eldest son is killed in a car crash but he not allowed to attend either of the funerals

1974

Rhodesia expelled from united nations due to the policy of apartheid

1976

Over 600 students killed in protests at Soweto and Sharpeville

1977

Steve Biko, the leader of the protests, is killed whilst in police custody.

1980

The exiled Oliver Tambo launches an international campaign for the release of his friend

Zimbabwe gains its independence

1983

The government allows farmers to re-arm and protect themselves from black dissidents.

1984

Government sources state that declared that since 1983 black dissidents have murdered 120, mutilated 25, raped 47 and committed 284 robberies

1986

Sanctions against South Africa tightened costing millions in revenue

1988

Amnesty is announced for all dissidents - 122 surrender.

1990

February 11: Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years

President De Klerk lifts the ban on the African National Congress (ANC)

The ANC and the white National Party begin talks on forming a multi-racial democracy for South Africa.

1991

Becomes President of the African National Congress ( ANC )

The International Olympics Committee lift a 21 year ban on South African athletes competing in the Olympic Games.

1992

April:  Separates from Winnie Mandela after she is convicted of kidnapping and being an accessory to assault.

1993

March:  Divorces Winnie Mandela

Nelson Mandela and Mr de Klerk are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

1994

April 26: Free Elections where black South Africans are allowed to vote for the first time. Nelson Mandela runs for President

The ANC won 252 of the 400 seats in the national assembly

May: Inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa. He appoints de Klerk as deputy president and forms as racially mixed Government of National Unity.

1995

South Africa hosts the 1995 Rugby World Cup and South Africa wins. Nelson Mandela wears a Springbok shirt when he presents the trophy to Afrikaner captain Francois Pienaar. This gesture was seen as a major step in the reconciliation of white and black South Africans.

1998

Marries Graca Machel, the widow of the former president of Mozambique, on his 80th birthday.

Tour of Canada

1999

Relinquishes presidency in favor of Thabo Mbeki, who was nominated ANC president in 1997.

Toured the world as a global statesman

2000

Appointed as mediator in the civil war in Burundi

2001

Nelson Mandela was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer with radiation

Made an honorary Canadian citizen

2003

Attacked the foreign policy of the George W. Bush

Later that same year, he lent his support to the 46664 AIDS fundraising campaign. The initiative was named after his prison number

2004

June: Nelson Mandela announced that he would be retiring from public life at the age of 85

July: Flew to Bangkok to speak at the XV International AIDS Conference.

23 July: Johannesburg bestowed its highest honour by granting Nelson Mandela the freedom of the city

2005

6 January: His son, Makgatho Mandela died of AIDS

Nelson Mandela Timeline

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