Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born 18 July 1918 Mvezo, Cape Province, Union of South Africa
Attends primary school near Qunu (receives the name ‘Nelson’ from a teacher)
Entrusted to Thembu Regent Jongintaba Dalindyebo at the age of 12 While his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom places Mandela's father’s death in 1927, historical evidence shows it must have been later, most likely 1930. In fact, the original Long Walk to Freedom manuscript (written on Robben Island) states the year as 1930.
Undergoes initiation; Attends Clarkebury Boarding Institute in Engcobo.
Attends Healdtown, the Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort.
Enrols at the University College of Fort Hare, in Alice
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Escapes an arranged marriage; becomes a mine security officer; starts articles at the law firm Witkin, Sidelsky & Eidelman
Completes BA through the University of South Africa (UNISA)
Begins to attend African National Congress (ANC) meetings informally
Graduates with BA from Fort Hare; Enrols for an LLB at Wits University
Co-founds the ANC Youth League (ANCYL); marries Evelyn Ntoko Mase – they have four children: Thembekile (1945); Makaziwe (1947 – who dies after nine months); Makgatho (1950); Makaziwe (1954)
Elected national secretary of the ANCYL
Elected President of the ANCYL
Defiance Campaign begins; Arrested and charged for violating the Suppression of Communism Act; Elected Transvaal ANC President; Convicted with J.S Moroka, Walter Sisulu and 17 others under the Suppression of Communism Act; Sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour, suspended for two years; Elected first of ANC deputy presidents; Opens South Africa’s first black law firm with Oliver Tambo
Devises the M-Plan for the ANC’s future underground operations
Watches as the Congress of the People at Kliptown adopts the Freedom Charter
Arrested and later joins 155 others on trial for teason. All are acquitted by 29 March 1961
Divorces Evelyn Mase; Marries Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela – they have two daughters: Zenani (1959) and Zindzi (1960)
A State of Emergency is imposed and he is among thousands detained
The ANC is banned
Goes underground; Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) is formed
Leaves the country for military training and to garner support for the ANC
Arrested near Howick in KwaZulu-Natal
Appears in court for the first time in what becomes known as the Rivonia Trial, with Walter Sisulu, Denis Goldberg, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel 'Rusty' Bernstein, Raymond Mhlaba, James Kantor, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni
Sentenced to five years in prison for incitement and leaving the country without a passport
James Kantor discharged and released
All except Rusty Bernstein are convicted and sentenced to life
Thembekile is killed in a car accident
Mandela, Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni and later Ahmed Kathrada are sent to Pollsmoor Prison
Rejects, through his daughter, Zindzi, South African President PW Botha's offer to release him if he renounces violence
Admitted to the Volks Hospital for prostate surgery
Discharged from Volks Hospital and returned to Pollsmoor Prison
Admitted to Tygerberg Hospital where he is diagnosed with tuberculosis
Moved to Victor Verster Prison in Paarl where he is held for 14 months in a cottage
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Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with President FW de Klerk
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Establishes the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
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