Nelson Mandela became the first Black president of South Africa on May 20, 1994, after spending almost 27 years in prison for his political activism. In the 1960s, Mandela had been a leading member of the African National Congress, a group that fought against apartheid in South Africa. Find out more in Nelson Mandela, one of the titles in History Makers: Past and Present. This series profiles significant history makers throughout time. Each book explores the life of a well-known individual and provides an overview of that person's life and achievements.