Some events just seem to capture your imagination and stay in your memory, becoming even more vivid as the years fade into oblivion.
There is one such event that I can remember very clearly although it took place more than 20 years ago in South Africa while I was a schoolboy. A tall strapping, slightly stooping man with salt and pepper grey hair, holding the hands of an exceptionally beautiful woman, emerged from prison into the brilliant sunshine of freedom. The world held its breath and then exploded into rapturous joy as Nelson Mandela emerged out of prison holding the hands of his wife at the time, Winnie Mandela, after 27-years in jail.
I remember the day too well because I have grown up a precocious child. While my friends discussed their favorite musical stars; was it Madonna, Whitney Houston or Michael Jackson? I was reading Nelson Mandela’s “No Easy Walk to Freedom” and reading old transcripts of the Rivonia trial and empathizing with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada and other brave men and women who sacrificed the comfort of home, kith and even life to fight for freedom. My impressionable mind could not understand how a minority (white) could control a majority (black).
Today as I look back on February 11, 1990 which I spent in Chocolate City, Gardnersville, rejoicing with the world as the icon of freedom shared his uncompromising vision of a democratic nonracial South Africa, I am proud of the men and women who fought to make Africa free.
Twenty years later after that historic day of Mandela’s release, South Africa is hosting the world’s most prestigious sporting event, the World Cup, and it has emerged as the richest black-controlled nation in the world.
I am thankful that my mother gave me those books that sharpened my political consciousness that made me to appreciate the sweeping euphoric event of Mandela’s release and the revolutionary changes the event brought to the world.
Nementorbor M. Kpahn
AME University
Camp Johnson Road
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Updated: February 7, 2010 - 2:34pm
Mr. Editor:
Some events just seem to capture your imagination and stay in your memory, becoming even more vivid as the years fade into oblivion.
There is one such event that I can remember very clearly although it took place more than 20 years ago in South Africa while I was a schoolboy. A tall strapping, slightly stooping man with salt and pepper grey hair, holding the hands of an exceptionally beautiful woman, emerged from prison into the brilliant sunshine of freedom. The world held its breath and then exploded into rapturous joy as Nelson Mandela emerged out of prison holding the hands of his wife at the time, Winnie Mandela, after 27-years in jail.
I remember the day too well because I have grown up a precocious child. While my friends discussed their favorite musical stars; was it Madonna, Whitney Houston or Michael Jackson? I was reading Nelson Mandela’s “No Easy Walk to Freedom” and reading old transcripts of the Rivonia trial and empathizing with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada and other brave men and women who sacrificed the comfort of home, kith and even life to fight for freedom. My impressionable mind could not understand how a minority (white) could control a majority (black).
Today as I look back on February 11, 1990 which I spent in Chocolate City, Gardnersville, rejoicing with the world as the icon of freedom shared his uncompromising vision of a democratic nonracial South Africa, I am proud of the men and women who fought to make Africa free.
Twenty years later after that historic day of Mandela’s release, South Africa is hosting the world’s most prestigious sporting event, the World Cup, and it has emerged as the richest black-controlled nation in the world.
I am thankful that my mother gave me those books that sharpened my political consciousness that made me to appreciate the sweeping euphoric event of Mandela’s release and the revolutionary changes the event brought to the world.
Nementorbor M. Kpahn
AME University
Camp Johnson Road