.South-African politician, celebrates for his fight against apartheid. From its original name Rolihlahla Mandela, it was born on July 18, 1918 in Mvezo, in Transkei, in the current province of Cape-Eastern, in South Africa. It results from a family of chiefs of village. It is Pasteur who will give him the Western first name of Nelson, that he preserved since. It is the first of its family to follow a schooling. It follows studies to the university of Strong Hare, where it meets Oliver Tambo and where it protests against the university payment. Its boycott is worth to him to be returned. To escape an arranged marriage, it is established in Johannesburg, where it follows studies of right. In 1942, it joined the African National Congress (CNA), to fight against the political domination of the whiteminority. In 1944, with Tambo, it melts a league of youth within the CNA. 1948 see the introduction of apartheid. Nelson Mandela engages then against discriminations. On December 5, 1956, it is stopped with other opponents, but finally discharged. After the massacre of Sharpeville and the prohibition of the CNA, Nelson Mandela preaches the armed action. It is imprisoned in 1962, before being condemned to five of prison in 1963. Its actions towards apartheid are worth to him to be condemned to the prison with perpetuity in 1964. The years passing, it becomes one of oldest and the most famous political prisoners in the world. On December 7, 1988, it leaves its prison for asupervised residence. It is definitively released on February 11, 1990 on order of Frederik de Klerk, who, then from the capacity, requests his assistance to avoid the civil war. Nelson Mandela and Frederik de Klerk join then to put an end to apartheid. A transitional arrangement is then set up. Nelson Mandela gains the first free elections on April 27, 1994 and becomes president of the Republic of South Africa. It chairs a government of union national, which gathers parties representing of the communities