Before becoming President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela was best known for his role as a leading anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner. He fought against the racist apartheid regime in South Africa, which enforced racial segregation and discrimination. Mandela was one of the key figures in the African National Congress (ANC) and was a founding member of its youth wing, the ANC Youth League. His activism and leadership resulted in his arrest and imprisonment for 27 years, during which he became a symbol of the struggle for freedom and equality. Mandela's release from prison in 1990 marked a significant turning point in South African history and paved the way for negotiations that ultimately led to the end of apartheid and the country's first democratic elections in 1994, where Mandela was elected as the first black President of South Africa.
Before becoming President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela was best known for his activism against apartheid and his leadership role in the African National Congress (ANC).
