| Nelson Mandela, the South African black nationalist and statesman whose long imprisonment (1962–90) and subsequent ascension to the presidency (1994) symbolized the aspirations of South Africa's black majority, was born this day in 1918. As president, Mandela established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which investigated human rights violations under apartheid, and introduced housing, education, and economic development initiatives designed to improve the living standards of the country's black population. After overseeing the enactment of a new democratic constitution in 1996, Mandela chose not to seek a second term as South African president in 1999 and retired from politics. |