Who was Nelson Mandela?

0:00 Imagine being locked in a tiny room for exactly 10,052 days. Just because you believed everyone should be treated fairly. 10,000 days? Wait, let me do the math. That's over 27 years. Welcome to History's Not Boring by Kidopoly.com. I'm Mira. And I'm Finn. Before we jump in, a big shout out to Connor and Finn in St Albans, Mila, Kira and Aliyah in South Africa, Mia and Jamie in Johannesburg, and Jackson in South Africa.

0:36 You all asked for an episode on Nelson Mandela, so this one is for all of you. If you haven't already, tap follow wherever you're listening so you never miss an episode. So, who exactly was Nelson Mandela? And why was he locked up for almost three decades? Today, we're travelling to South Africa to uncover the incredible story of a man who fought against terribly unfair laws, survived a brutal island prison, and walked free to become his country's first black president.

1:07 That sounds like a superhero movie, but it actually happened. Every single word of it is true, and his weapon wasn't laser beams or super strength. It was his brilliant mind and his unstoppable belief in equality. Let's go back to the very beginning. Where and when was he born? He was born on July 18th, 1918, in a tiny rural village called Emvezo in South Africa.

1:35 But his real name wasn't actually Nelson. Wait, it wasn't? What did his parents name him? His birthname was Roli Schla Schla. In his language, Kosa, it literally means pulling the branch of a tree. But colloquially, it translates to troublemaker.

1:55unknown Ha!

1:55 Troublemaker? That's awesome! Did he cause a lot of trouble? Only good trouble. As a young boy, he had a very traditional childhood. He herded sheep and calves and played in the fields. But when he was seven, he went to a local missionary school. Is that where he got the name Nelson? Yes. His teacher, Miss Mudingane, gave all the kids English names, because that was the strict rule under British influence at the time.

2:24 She just pointed at him and said, You are Nelson. What was life like in South Africa as he grew up? It became incredibly unfair. In 1948, the government passed a strict, cruel system of laws called apartheid. Apartheid literally translates to apartness. Apart from what? Did they separate the cities? They separated everything based on skin colour.

2:50 Even though black people made up nearly 80% of the population, the white minority government took absolute control of the country. 80% of the people had no say at all. None. The government passed exactly 148 apartheid laws. They took about 80% of all the land for white people. Black South Africans were forced to carry a 96-page passport just to walk into a city.

3:16 A 96-page book? Just to walk down the street? Yes, and if they forgot it or didn't have the right stamp, they were arrested instantly. There were separate beaches, separate hospitals, separate schools, and even separate park benches. Nelson Mandela knew he had to dedicate his entire life to stopping this injustice.

3:38 Did he use his troublemaker skills to fight back? He used his brilliant mind. In 1952, he and his friend Oliver Tambo opened the very first black law firm in South Africa. That's huge! Did they win their cases? They tried their hardest, but the laws were completely rigged against them. They led peaceful protests for years, but the government responded with harsh violence and banned Nelson's political group entirely.

4:09 That sounds dangerous. Did the police come after him? They tried, but in 1961, Nelson went underground. He was on the run for 17 months, becoming an absolute master of disguise. The police were so confused, they nicknamed him the Black Pimpanel. What kind of disguises did he use? Did he wear a fake moustache?

4:34 Better than that. His favourite trick was pretending to be a chauffeur named David Mot Samai. He would put on a baggy driver's uniform and literally drive his friends right past the police in a big Austin Westminster car. Hiding in plain sight. That is so clever. But did his luck run out? It did. On August 5th, 1962, police finally stopped his car on a rural road.

5:04 The officer looked right through the disguise and said, I know you're Nelson Mandela, and you are under arrest. Oh no, did they put him in jail right away? Yes, and in 1964, he was put on trial for his life. Instead of begging for mercy to save himself, he gave a famous three-hour speech to the courtroom.

5:27 Three hours? What did he say? He ended by saying that a fair, democratic society was an ideal he hoped to live for, but if necessary, it was an ideal for which he was prepared to die. He was willing to give up his life for freedom. Yes. The judge didn't give him the death penalty, but sentenced him to life in prison.

5:50 He was stripped of his clothes, given a new identity as prisoner number 46664, and sent to the notorious Robin Island. I've heard of Robin Island. What was it like? It was a brutal maximum security prison situated on an island surrounded by freezing, shark-infested waters. Nelson's cell was shockingly tiny.

6:14 It was exactly eight feet long and seven feet wide. Eight by seven feet? I could touch both walls at the same time if I stretched. He didn't even have a real bed, just a thin straw mat unrolled on a freezing, damp stone floor. And every single day he was forced to swing a heavy pickaxe, crushing rocks into gravel in a blindingly bright limestone quarry.

6:40 That's absolute torture! How often could he see his family? This is one of the saddest parts. For a very long time, he was categorised as a Class D prisoner, which meant he was only allowed one single visitor and one single letter every six months. Only two letters a whole year. I would go completely crazy.

7:02 But Nelson never let them break his spirit. He actually turned the prison into a secret school. He and the other prisoners taught each other history, economics, and politics while breaking rocks in the blazing sun. Did people on the outside forget about him while he was locked away? Never. Over the years, millions of people globally started demanding his release.

7:24 Huge concerts were held in London, with thousands singing, Free Nelson Mandela! Did the pressure finally work? It took a long time, but yes, the entire world boycotted South Africa. Finally, on February 11, 1990, after exactly 10,052 days behind bars, he walked out of the prison gates, holding his fist high in the air.

7:50 Yes, he was finally a free man. And the story gets even better. Just four years later, on April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first truly democratic election, where people of all races were allowed to vote. Wow! How many people showed up to vote? Over 19.7 million people voted. The line stretched for up to five miles, with people waiting all day in the sun.

8:19 And Nelson Mandela, the former prisoner, was elected the first black president of South Africa with 62% of the vote. From a tiny eight-foot prison cell to the presidency of the whole country. That is the ultimate comeback story. It really is. And here is the true miracle of Nelson Mandela. After 27 years locked in a cage, he didn't want revenge against the people who put him there.

8:47 He actually invited his former white prison guards to be VIP guests at his presidential inauguration. No way. He forgave the very people who kept him locked up. He did. He famously wrote, 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.

9:13 That is incredibly powerful. That's why he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, isn't it? Exactly. He wanted to build what he called a rainbow nation, where everyone belonged, regardless of their skin colour. He even used the country's rugby team, the Springbox, to unite black and white fans during the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

9:38 Okay, I am totally amazed by this guy. Do you have any weird or fun fact about him? I have tons! First, did you know he received over 695 awards in his lifetime? 695? I only have a couple of plastic soccer trophies. It's true! He also received honorary degrees from more than 50 different universities.

10:04 And get this, he loved brightly coloured patterned silk shirts so much that they became famous worldwide as Madiba shirts. Madiba? Why did they call them that? Madiba was his traditional clan name. In South Africa, calling him Madiba was a sign of deep respect and affection. Let me get this straight.

10:27 He was Rolishleschle, Nelson, David the Chauffeur, Prisoner 46664, and Madiba. He really was the man of a million names. He certainly was. And every single name represented a different, amazing chapter of his life. Alright, Finn, it's quiz time. Let's see if you were paying close attention to all those facts.

10:52 Okay, I'm ready. Hit me with the questions. First question. What was Nelson Mandela's birth name, which translated to troublemaker? Next one. What job did he pretend to have when he was using the disguise of David Motsami to hide from the police? Question 3. Exactly how many days did he spend locked away in prison before he was finally released?

11:28 Here's number four. What were the exact measurements of his tiny prison cell on Robin Island? Last question. In what year did nearly 20 million people wait in massive lines to vote and make him president? Great job! Let's see how you did. The first answer is his birth name was Rolis Schlurschler. For question two, he pretended to be a chauffeur.

12:03 three, the answer is he spent exactly 10,052 days in prison. Question four. His cell was incredibly small, measuring just eight feet long by seven feet wide. And the final answer is he was elected president in the historic 1994 election. I still can't believe how much he went through and that he still chose forgiveness instead of staying angry for the rest of his life.

12:32 It's one of the greatest true stories in human history. It proves that no matter how impossible things seem, fairness, hope, and courage can actually change the world. If Nelson Mandela's incredible story inspired you today, please leave us a five-star review. Just scroll down and tap the stars. And please tap follow right here and go check out our sister shows.

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