They were sent to the Robben Island Prison where Mandela would spend 18 of his eventual 27 years imprisonment. On 11 June, Mandela and seven others were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” Then, he fought against South Africa’s racist. Mandela spent his childhood in troubled, segregationist South Africa. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. Our overview of Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela explores his experiences during four time periods: his childhood, his time as a young political activist, the years he spent in prison, and the time after his release. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. On 20 April 1964 he made his famous “Speech from the Dock”: “It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die” The book profiles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years spent in prison. It was ghostwritten by Richard Stengel and first published in 1994 by Little Brown & Co. In October 1963 he was put on trial again, this time for sabotage. Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiography credited to South African President Nelson Mandela. On his return, he was arrested for leaving the country without a permit and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. He travelled around Africa and Europe trying to gather support for armed struggle against apartheid. In January 1962 Mandela secretly left South Africa. He also helped to form a paramilitary organisation, Umkhonto weSizwe (Spear of the Nation) to carry out guerrilla warfare against the government. A painting of the Sharpeville Massacre of March 1960.ĭays before the Treason Trial ended, Mandela began to plan for more direct action including a national strike scheduled for 29, 30 and 31 March 1961.