Today, Nelson Mandela, the revered & beloved South African anti-apartheid icon who became the country's first black president, died, at the age of 95, in his native country Thursday. Freedom fighter, statesman, moral compass and South Africa's symbol of the struggle against racial oppression. That was Nelson Mandela, who emerged from prison after 27 years to lead his country out of decades of apartheid.
His message of reconciliation, not vengeance, inspired the world after he negotiated a peaceful end to segregation and urged forgiveness for the white government that imprisoned him.
"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison," Mandela said after he was freed in in 1990.
Mandela has also procured a number of awards for his humanitarian efforts and he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, one of his many accolades.
He would go on to become South Africa’s first Black president.
“The time for the healing of the wounds has come,” he said in his acceptance speech in 1994. “The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.”
Mandela, battled health issues in recent years, including a recurring lung infection that led to numerous hospitalizations.
Despite rare public appearances, he held a special place in the consciousness of the nation and the world.
Mandela's impact on mankind will not be forgotten......
