Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was born in South Africa and received his education there. Throughout his career and life, he fought against apartheid and racial segregation, advocating for democracy and equal rights. He spent 27 years in prison for his political beliefs but eventually became South Africa's first black president in 1994, leading the country's transition from apartheid to multiracial democracy and reconciliation. Mandela received numerous honors for his work, including the Nobel Peace Prize and the US Presidential Medal of Freedom.