Nelson Mandela is one of
the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose
lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won
him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country. Since his
triumphant release in 1990 from more than a quarter-century of imprisonment,
Mandela has been at the center of the most compelling and inspiring political
drama in the world. As president of the African National Congress and head of
South Africa's antiapartheid movement, he was instrumental in moving the nation
toward multiracial government and majority rule. He is revered everywhere as a
vital force in the fight for human rights and racial equality.
Long Walk to Freedom is his moving and exhilarating
autobiography, a book destined to take its place among the finest memoirs of
history's greatest figures. Here for the first time, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
tells the extraordinary story of his life - an epic of struggle, setback,
renewed hope, and ultimate triumph, which has, until now, been virtually
unknown to most of the world.
The foster son of a Thembu
chief, Mandela was raised in the traditional, tribal culture of his ancestors,
but at an early age learned the modern, inescapable reality of what came to be
called apartheid, one of the most powerful and effective systems of oppression
ever conceived. In classically elegant and engrossing prose, he tells of his
early years as an impoverished student and law clerk in Johannesburg, of his
slow political awakening, and of his pivotal role in the rebirth of a stagnant
ANC and the formation of its Youth League in the 1950s. He describes the
struggle to reconcile his political activity with his devotion to his family,
the anguished breakup of his first marriage, and the painful separations from
his children.
He brings vividly to life
the escalating political warfare in the fifties between the ANC and the
government, culminating in his dramatic escapades as an underground leader and
the notorious Rivonia Trial of 1964, at which he was sentenced to life
imprisonment. He recounts the surprisingly eventful twenty-seven years in
prison and the complex, delicate negotiations that led both to his freedom and
to the beginning of the end of apartheid. Finally he provides the ultimate
inside account of the unforgettable events since his release that produced at
last a free, multiracial democracy in South
Africa.
To millions of people
around the world, Nelson Mandela stands, as no other living figure does, for
the triumph of dignity and hope over despair and hatred, of self-discipline and
love over persecution and evil. Long Walk to Freedom embodies that
spirit in a book for all time.
I dedicate this book to my
six children, Madiba and Makaziwe (my first daughter), who are now deceased,
and to Makgatho, Makaziwe, Zenani, and Zindzi, whose support and love I
treasure; to my twenty-one grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who give
me great pleasure; and to all my comrades, friends, and fellow South Africans
whom I serve and whose courage, determination, and patriotism remain my source
of inspiration.
As readers will discover,
this book has a long history. I began writing it clandestinely in 1974 during my imprisonment on Robben Island. Without the tireless labor of my
old comrades Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathhrada for reviving my memories, it is
doubtful the manuscript would have been completed. The copy of the manuscript
which I kept with me was discovered by the authorities and confiscated. However,
in addition to their unique calligraphic skills, my co-prisoners Mac Maharaj and Isu Chiba had ensured that the
original manuscript safely reached its destination. I resumed work on it after
my release from prison in 1990.
Since my release, my
schedule has been crowded with numerous duties and responsibilities, which have
left me little free time for writing. Fortunately, I have had the assistance of
dedicated colleagues, friends, and professionals who have helped me complete my
work at last, and to whom I would like to express my appreciation.
I am deeply grateful to
Richard Stengel who collaborated with me in the creation of this book,
providing invaluable assistance in editing and revising the first parts and in
the writing of the latter parts. I recall with fondness our early morning walks
in the Transkei and the many hours of interviews at Shell House in Johannesburg
and my home in Houghton. A special tribute is owed to Mary Pfaff who assisted
Richard in his work. I have also benefited from the advice and support of
Fatima Meer, Peter Magubane, Nadine Gordimer, and Ezekiel Mphahlele.
I want to thank especially
my comrade Ahmed Kathrada for the long hours spent revising, correcting, and
giving accuracy to the story. Many thanks to my ANC office staff, who patiently dealt
with the logistics of the making of this book, but in particular to Barbara
Masekela for her efficient coordination. Likewise, Iqbal Meer has devoted many
hours to watching over the business aspects of the book. I am grateful to my editor, William Phillips of Little, Brown, who has guided this project from
early 1990 on, and edited the text, and to his colleagues Jordan Pavlin, Steve
Schneider, Mike Mattil, and Donna Peterson. I would also like to thank
Professor Gail Gerhart for her factual review of the manuscript.
This
document was last modified 15 January 1996.
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