Nelson Mandela -- 1918-2013
Bill Keller of the New York Times: "Nelson Mandela, who led the emancipation of South Africa from white minority rule and served as his country’s first black president, becoming an international emblem of dignity and forbearance, died Thursday. He was 95."
Sudarsan Raghaven & Lynne Duke of the Washington Post: Nelson Mandela, the former political prisoner who became the first president of a post-apartheid South Africa and whose heroic life and towering moral stature made him one of history’s most influential statesmen, died Thursday, the government announced. He was 95.
The Guardian's story, by David Smith is here. The Guardian's obituary of President Mandela, by David Beresford, is here.
The Johannesburg Mail & Guardian front page is here.
The New York Times has a slideshow here. The Washington Post slideshow is here.
Mandela's inagural address, May 1994:
The text is here.
The text of Nelson Mandela's speech from the dock, April 1964, is here and here. Audio of the second part of the speech is here.
The Washington Post has a timeline of Mandela's life.
Full text & video of South African President Jacob Zuma's remarks.
President Obama speaks on the life of Nelson Mandela:
The Washington Post is liveblogging remarks by world leaders & others.
NEW. Lydia Polgren & Alan Cowell of the New York Times: "Across South Africa, people paid tribute to the man they hail as the father of their nation — a secular saint whose commitment to forgiveness and reconciliation gave birth to a nonracial democracy from a country so long riven by segregation. Indeed, people around the world paid homage, including laying flowers at a statue of him in front of the British Parliament in London. After the long months of vigil as Mr. Mandela weakened, far from public view, many ... rose to mourn and praise him and to ponder his legacy. There were few overtly critical voices."
Reader Comments (2)
Nelson Mandela gave me hope for humanity. I feel privileged to have lived during his time.
This American Life
More depressing than the death of Nelson Mandela, this comment by Akhilleus, published in the December 5 Commentariat:
"Just mentioned, in passing, to a citizen of my Blood Red State, that Nelson Mandela died today. She asked what team he played for. I thought she was kidding but no one else could place him either. One guy thought he was a reggae musician. The name sounds kinda blackish, after all.
"Fuck me.
"Is this just life in a conservative bubble or are people really this stupid?
"On a positive note, they all had intimate knowledge of the death of Paul Walker.
"I'm so relieved."
CW: If you want to know how people could vote for legislators pledged to doing the Koch brothers' bidding & working against the best interests of the electorate, Akhilleus provides the answer. The average American is an ignoramus.