On this day in History - 11th February 1990

Nelson Mandela is released after serving 27 years in prison. Mandela was the leader of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and had campaigned for an end to the oppression of black South Africans. Mandela was sentenced for sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the government. After Mandela was released he was elected president of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1991 and became the first democratically elected President of South Africa in 1994. He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1993.