[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1033-E1034]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE BIRTH OF NELSON MANDELA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 18, 2018

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today marks 100 
years since the birth of famed political leader and philanthropist, 
Nelson Mandela. Often referred to as the ``Father of the Nation,'' 
Mandela is best known for serving as South Africa's first black head of 
state and using his administration to dismantle the strict system of 
apartheid that existed in South Africa from 1948 until the mid-1990s. 
Since that time, Mandela has become a global icon of democracy and 
social justice, which is relevant even today as we continue to wrestle 
with our own issues of divisiveness and racial disparities.
  Mandela began his activism at a relatively young age. While studying 
law at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Mandela quickly 
became involved in a movement fighting against racial discrimination. 
In 1944, Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) and worked 
to establish its youth league, the ANCYL, in order to help foster new 
leaders and call for civil disobedience against the new laws that came 
with apartheid.
  By 1961, Mandela co-founded an armed wing of the ANC once the 
government would not respond to peaceful demands for equality. Mandela 
was ultimately imprisoned for nearly three decades, where he was 
subjected to inhumane punishment and other atrocities.

[[Page E1034]]

  Once Mandela was released from prison, he quickly moved to lead the 
ANC in negotiations with the governing National Party to bring an end 
to apartheid. By May 10, 1994, Mandela was elected and sworn in as the 
first black president of South Africa--a position he would use to bring 
peace and equality to the nation. After leaving office, he continued to 
help address global issues through direct intervention and through the 
Nelson Mandela Foundation. Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, 
after a long and fruitful life.
  Mr. Speaker, Nelson Mandela left behind a lasting legacy that will 
continue to inspire generations to come. It is fitting that even after 
one hundred years, as our society continues to overcome challenges to 
our democracy and social justice, that we honor such a timeless figure 
in our history. Even in death, his selfless dedication to equality and 
democratic ideology serve as a reminder that we must always be fighting 
to defend the values that we hold dear as a nation. It is in the 
absence of such a strong defense of our values that we succumb to the 
tyranny and oppression of the past.

                          ____________________