Nelson Mandela Dies at 95: A Look Back at His 1990 Atlanta Visit

December 5th, 2013

© Linda Schaefer. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. / flickr.com/schaeferphotos/tags/nelsonmandela/

[Update December 6, 2013, 3:55 p.m. — added photos to the slideshow and a video of Nelson Mandela’s 1990 speech at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Chapel]

Nelson Mandela — prisoner, president, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and one of the most respected figures in the world — died Thursday at the age of 95.

The Associated Press reports that current South African President Jacob Zuma announced the death in a televised speech, saying “we’ve lost our greatest son.”

Mandela had been suffering from a prolonged lung infection.

He is credited with spearheading the fight to end apartheid and with subsequently holding the nation of South Africa together as its people worked toward reconciliation with the past. He served one term as president before stepping down and assuming the role of elder statesman.

NPR has an extensive report on Mandela’s life and passing.

In 1990, Mandela visited Atlanta for a speech at Georgia Tech and shared time with the King Family. We are happy to be able to present pictures of that visit, courtesy of photographer Linda Schaefer.

Video: Below is a video of Nelson Mandela speaking during his 1990 visit to Atlanta at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Chapel at Morehouse. This video was uploaded to YouTube today by the MLK Chapel.