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Spartan Echo
Spartan Echo
Vol. 66, Issue 17
01.14.2024
The Voice of the Spartan Community and Beyond
BLACK
HISTORY
EDITION
A Living Legacy: Ndaba Mandela
Nelson Mandela’s legacy lives on through his grandson, Ndaba Mandela, who recently spoke to NSU students, staff, and alumni, as the university kicked off Black History Month.
Ndaba Mandela actively continues the legacy of Nelson Mandela, the first Black president of South Africa and a renowned anti-apartheid activist. He serves as the co-founder and chairman of the Mandela Institute for Humanity, a foundation that carries the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Co-Chair of the Africa Rising Foundation, an organization that aspires to promote a positive image of Africa across the globe through several sectors, and author of “Going to the Mountain: Life Lessons From my Grandfather, Nelson Mandela” (2018).
In a moderated discussion with Dr. Robert Perkins, Mandela shared the story of how he initially met his grandfather. At 7 years old Mandela met his grandfather for the first time while he was technically still imprisoned. Mandela was thrusted into the world of politics as he went to live with his grandfather permanently after he was released from prison on February 11, 1990.
At the age of 11,
Mandela was thrust into the world of politics as he went to live with his grandfather permanently after he was released from prison on February 11, 1990.
Being reared by his grandfather has made a significant impact on Madela’s beliefs and passion to fight for change for the advancement of Africans and African Americans. When acknowledging his work he gives credit to his grandfather for making him the man he is today by saying, “He took me in and he was able to properly teach me his values and was able to impart those values onto me–those became my own.”
With our society still facing issues of race and political unrest, Mandela's message to students was a call to action. With his grandfather believing in the youth he emphasized the importance of students utilizing their voice to change the world by saying that “you should be running towards politics–if we are unhappy about something we need to actually go there and replace those people.” With the US going into an election year Madnela encouraged the younger generation to vote by saying “don't ever say your vote doesn't mean anything., many people died just for you to vote–the vote is central to our demovary”. Madela emphasized the student's responsibility to carry the torch of change to impact the next generation, adding, “every generation has to fight for the next”.
voice to change the world by saying that “You should be running towards politics–if we are unhappy about something we need to actually go there and replace those people.” With the US going into an election year Mandela encouraged the younger generation to vote by saying, “Don't ever say your vote doesn't mean anything, many people died just for you to vote–Continue on Pg. 6 generation, adding, “Every generation has to fight for the next”.
By: A'lauren Gilchrist