Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa in 1918 and given the name Rolihlahla, which means "troublemaker". He faced discrimination under apartheid but became educated, joining the African National Congress to fight for racial equality. Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years for his activism but was released in 1990. He then negotiated an end to apartheid, becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994. Mandela's leadership helped establish democracy and promote reconciliation in South Africa.