The Library, Documentation and Information Department of the African Studies centre has compiled this dossier to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Mandela’s release. The documents include pages from Mandela’s personal diary, the official sentence form, lists of visitors during his imprisonment, and various letters. At the same time, a selection of documents from the personal archive of prisoner 466/64 was presented in a small exhibition entitled ‘Free Nelson Mandela’. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Mandela’s release, the Dutch Africa Magazine ZAM organized a commemorative meeting in Amsterdam on 11 February 2010.

Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela supported reconciliation and negotiation, and helped lead the transition towards multiracial democracy in South Africa. In accordance with his conviction, Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of these on Robben Island. Together with other ANC leaders, he was convicted during the Rivonia Trial (1963-1964) on charges of sabotage, as well as other crimes committed while he led the movement against apartheid. Before his presidency, Mandela was active in the struggle against apartheid and the leader of the ANC’s armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe. The first South African president to be elected in a representative democratic election, Mandela held office from 1994 to 1999. Introductionįebruary 2010 marks 20 years since the apartheid regime of South Africa unbanned the African National Congress and other liberation movements, and released Nelson Mandela from prison. For further information, please email us at or phone +31 (0).

Mandela autobiography