Happy Birthday Mr.Mandela

 

Nelson Mandela, South Africa's deeply loved anti-apartheid icon, celebrates his 94th birthday on July 18. Mandela is expected to spend the day privately with his family at their homestead in his southeastern birth village of Qunu.

Nelson and Winnie in their wedding photo from 1958.



The three ANC Youth Leaders, Nelson Mandela, centre, Walter Sisulu, left, and Harrison Motlana, pictured in 1952 during the Defiance Campaign trial at the Johannesburg Supreme Court, South Africa. The Defiance Campaign encourages blacks to defy apartheid laws.



Three defendants in the first treason, Robert Resha, left, Patrick Molaoa, centre, and Nelson Mandela arrive in Pretoria from Johannesburg by special bus during the trial in August 1958. The trial lasted for four and a half years.



Winnie Mandela raises her fist in a black power salute after announcing that a massive pop concert will be held to mark the 70th birthday of her husband, jailed black nationalist leader Nelson Mandela on July 17, 1988.



Protestors raise their fists as Winnie Mandela asks them who were in the ANC during a rally of several thousand people in Johannesburg's Alexandra township on February 3, 1990, the first after South African President F.W. de Klerk unbanned the African National Congress (ANC).



Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in apartheid jails as the world's most important political prisoner, walked free from Victor Verster prison, near Cape Town, on February 11, 1990. Mandela is accompanied by his former wife Winnie, moments after his release from prison in this February 11, 1990 file photo.



South African President F.W. de Klerk (R) and then-African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela (L) hold up medals and certificates after they were jointly awarded the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony December 10, 1993 at Oslo's city hall.




This April 27, 1994 aerial file photo shows long lines of people queuing outside the polling station in the black township of Soweto, in the southwest suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa. Against all odds, the party of Nelson Mandela which has transformed a nation where just 20 years ago black South Africans could not vote, and beaches and restaurants were reserved for whites only, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Bloemfontein Sunday Jan 8 2012.The majority of South Africa's 22 million voters were voting in the nation's first all-race elections.



ANC leader Nelson Mandela casts his vote at Ohlange High School hall in Inanda, 10 miles (15 kilometers) north of Durban, Wednesday, April 27, 1994 for South Africa's first all-race elections



Thousands of supporters cheer President-elect Nelson Mandela during his speech at City Hall after taking the oath at Parliament May 9, 1994.



ANC leader Nelson Mandela takes the oath of office before Chief Justice Michael Corbett at the Union Building May 10, 1994. Mandela became the first black president of South Africa.



South African President Nelson Mandela, left, shows the way to Princess Diana, during in Cape Town, Monday, March 17 1997.



President Nelson Mandela and his now wife Graca Machel share a laugh aboard the QE2 cruise liner in this file photo taken March 1998.



Former South African President Nelson Mandela (L) raises the hand of the new President, Thabo Mbeki after he took the oath of office at the Union Buildings in Pretoria June 16, 1999. South Africans and foreigners of all colours gathered on Wednesday morning to bid farewell to Mandela and welcome his sucessor Mbeki as South Africa's second democratically elected President.



Nelson Mandela (C) and Deputy President Jacob Zuma (R) attend the Nelson Mandela Challenge match between South Africa and Nigeria at Ellis Park Stadium on November 17, 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa.



In this photo provided by the Nelson Mandela Foundation on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, US First Lady Michelle Obama, left, with former South African President Nelson Mandela, at this home, in Houghton, South Africa. First lady Michelle Obama and her family met with Nelson Mandela during a private visit at the former South African president's home. Mrs. Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha, and her mother, Marian Robinson, were viewing some of Mandela's personal papers at his foundation Tuesday when according to White House officials, he sent word that he wanted to meet them. It was Mrs. Obama's first meeting with the prisoner-turned-president.



Former US President, Bill Clinton, right, meets with former South African President Nelson Mandela at his home in Qunu, South Africa, Tuesday, July 17, 2012 on the eve of Mandela's 94th birthday.