Nelson Mandela:
Google doodle honours former South African president and anti-apartheid
revolutionary on the 96 anniversary of his birth
t is
96 years ago today that Nelson Mandela was born; a revolutionary who
would become the face of magnanimity, compassion and wisdom, and "father
of the nation" for South Africa.
Google is celebrating the
anniversary of Mandela's birth with an interactive doodle. Starting with
an illustration of the former leader, visitors to the site can click
through a number of his most well-known quotes, coupled with
illustrations depicting stages of his 'Long Walk to Freedom'.
Mandela was born on the 18 July 1918 and died last year, on the 5
December 2013, after suffering from a pulmonary infection. Politically
an African nationalist and democratic socialist, he became involved with
the African National Congress, or ANC, and later became its president.
He served as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, following 27
years in prison, charged with convictions of sabotage and conspiracy to
overthrow the state.
Whilst in prison, Mandela studied law and
learnt Afrikaans, in order to be able to speak with the men who were
guarding him. Google's illustration of Mandela's imprisonment on Robben
Island shows him reading, accompanied by the quote: "Education is the
most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world".
In
1980, the slogan "Free Mandela!" began to spread, leading the UN
Security Council to call for his release. However, South Africa's cold
war allies, including Margaret Thatcher, viewed Mandela as a communist
terrorist and opposed his release. It wasn't until 2008 that ANC members
were officially removed from the US terrorism watch list.
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