Timeline

To condense all of Mr Nelson Mandela's achievements into one chronology would be impossible; as a result, we do not claim that our work here is comprehensive. Below you will find a chronology of important events in his life. It is a work in progress and we are happy to receive your comments or additions.

Year Date Event
1918 July 18

Born Rolihlahla Mandela at Mvezo in the Transkei
1925  

Attends primary school near Qunu (receives the name ‘Nelson’ from a teacher)
1927  

Entrusted to Thembu Regent Jongintaba Dalindyebo
1934  

Undergoes initiation; Attends Clarkebury Boarding Institute in Engcobo
1937  

Attends Healdtown, the Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort
1939  

Enrols at the University College of Fort Hare, in Alice
1940  

Expelled
1941  

Escapes an arranged marriage; becomes a mine night watchman; Starts articles at the law firm Witkin, Sidelsky & Eidelman
1942  

Completes BA through the University of South Africa (UNISA)
1942  

Begins to attend African National Congress (ANC) meetings informally
1943  

Graduates with BA from Fort Hare; Enrols for an LLB at Wits University
1944  

Co-founds the ANC Youth League (ANCYL); marries Evelyn Ntoko Mase – they have four children: Thembekile (1945); Makaziwe (1947 – who dies after nine months); Makgatho (1950); Makaziwe (1954)
1948  

Elected national secretary of the ANCYL
1951  

Elected President of the ANCYL
1952  

Defiance Campaign begins; Arrested and charged for violating the Suppression of Communism Act; Elected Transvaal ANC President; Convicted with J.S Moroka, Walter Sisulu and 17 others under the Suppression of Communism Act; Sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour, suspended for two years; Elected first of ANC deputy presidents; Opens South Africa’s first black law firm with Oliver Tambo
1953  

Devises the M-Plan for the ANC’s future underground operations
1955  

Watches as the Congress of the People at Kliptown launches the Freedom Charter
1956  

Arrested and joins 155 others on trial for Treason. All are acquitted by 29 March 1961
1958  

Divorces Evelyn Mase; Marries Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela – they have two daughters: Zenani (1959) and Zindzi (1960)
1960 March 21

Sharpeville Massacre
  March 30

A State of Emergency imposed and he is among thousands detained
  April 8

The ANC is banned
1961  

Goes underground; Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) is formed
1962 January 11

Leaves the country for military training and to garner support for the ANC
  August 5

Arrested near Howick in KwaZulu-Natal; Sentenced to five years for incitement and leaving the country illegally
1963 May 27

Sent to Robben Island
 

June 12

 Returned to Pretoria Local Prison
  October

Charged for sabotage in the Rivonia trial with nine others
1964 June 11

All except Rusty Bernstein and James Kantor are convicted and sentenced (June 12) to life
1969 July 13

Thembekile is killed in a car accident
1982 March 31

Mr Mandela, Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni and later Ahmed Kathrada are sent to Pollsmoor Prison
1985  

Rejects South African President PW Botha's offer to release him if he renounces violence
1985 November 3

Has prostate surgery
1988 August 12

Admitted to Tygerberg Hospital and is diagnosed with Tuberculosis
  August 31

Admitted to Constantiaberg MediClinic
  December 7

Moved to Victor Verster Prison in Paarl. He was held for 14 months in a cottage
1990 February 2

ANC is unbanned
1990 February 11

Released
  March 2

Elected ANC Deputy President
1993 December 10

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with FW de Klerk
1994 April 27

Votes for the first time in his life
  May 9

Elected by Parliament as first president of a democratic South Africa
  May 10

Inaugurated as President of the Republic of South Africa
 

December 14

 Launches his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom
1995  

Establishes the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
1996  

Divorces Winnie Mandela
1998 July 18

Marries Graça Machel on his 80th birthday
1999  

Steps down after one term as President, establishes the Nelson Mandela Foundation
2001  

Diagnosed with prostate cancer
2003  

Establishes the Mandela Rhodes Foundation
2004 June 1

Announces that he will be stepping down from public life
2005 January 6

Announces that his eldest son Makgatho had died of AIDS
2007  

Witnesses the installation of his grandson Mandla as chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council
2008  

Turns 90 years old, asks future generations to continue the fight for social justice
2009  

Votes for the fourth time in his life; Attends the inauguration of President Jacob Zuma on May 9 and witnesses Zuma's first State of the Nation address; Turns 91
2010  

Is formally presented with the Fifa World Cup trophy before it embarks on a tour of South Africa
2010 June 11

His great-granddaughter Zenani is killed in a car accident
2010 June 17

Attends the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani
2010 July 11

Makes a surprise appearance at the Final of the Fifa World Cup in Soweto
2010 July

Celebrates his 92nd birthday at home in Johannesburg with family and friends
2010 October

His second book Conversations with Myself is published
2010 November 18

Meets the South African and American football teams that played in the Mandela Challenge match
2011 January

Is admitted to hospital in Johannesburg where he was diagnosed with a chest infection. He is discharged after two nights
2011 May 16

Votes in the local government elections
2011 June

His book Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorised Book of Quotations is published
2011 June 21

Is visited at home by American First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters Sasha and Malia
2011 July 18

Celebrates his 93rd birthday with his family in Qunu, Eastern Cape
2011 October 21

Is officially counted in South Africa’s Census 2011
2011 December

Spends Christmas with family in Qunu
2012 February 25

Admitted to hospital for abdominal complaint. Discharged after one night
2012

July 18

 Celebrates his 94th birthday with his family in Qunu, Eastern Cape
 

December 8

 Is admitted to hospital
 

December 26

 Is discharged from hospital