Nelson Mandela
The South African anti-apartheid leader who spent twenty-seven years in prison and then became his country's first Black president — without revenge.
Origin
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918–2013) co-founded the ANC's armed wing in the 1960s, was convicted of sabotage in 1964, and spent the next twenty-seven years in prison — eighteen of them on Robben Island. Released in 1990, he negotiated the end of apartheid with President F. W. de Klerk, shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with him, and was elected president in 1994. He served one term and stepped down, which made him almost uniquely revered among modern political leaders.
Modern usage
Synonym for reconciliation after long injustice and for leaders who could grab more power and don't. 'A Mandela moment' is the cliché for any public figure choosing forgiveness over score-settling. 'Madiba' (his clan name) is the affectionate form, mostly in South Africa.
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