IRB Post #2/TOW #4: "Long Walk to Freedom"

The book "Long Walk to Freedom", is an autobiography of Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was a President of South Africa, and is well know for being an anti-apartheid activist. He was the son of Mphakanyiswa, a chief. Mandela was taught early on how to take on the role of being the head of the Ixhiba house, and to counsel the rulers of his tribe. However, because of complications, Mandela and his mother moved to Qunu. After Nelson's father passed away, they left Qunu. His mother put him in the care of Jongintaba, a chief and acting regent of the Thembu. Mandela grew up quickly under his care and received a great education. However, when Jongintaba confronted Mandela and his brother, Justice, of an arranged marriage, they both ran away to Johannesburg. After recieving his BA, Mandela then joined the African National Congress, and helped create the ANC Youth League. He also married Evelyn Mase in 1944. Mandela was able to become more involved in the ANC and the ANC Youth League, and got them to take on the Programme of Action. He was also chosen to be the National Volunteer-in Chief for the Defiance Campaign. Because of the Defiance Campaign and the protests occurring from it, him and several other were charged for communism and were forced into nine months of labor. Mandela, because of his actions as a political activist and acting against the government and apartheid, was put on the list of banned people. He was then arrested in 1955, and the Treason Trial began. After being acquitted, Nelson Mandela began his life underground. This is as far as I have gotten so far, and this autobiography is proving to be very interesting and I am able to learn a lot about his life and of the history of South Africa.