Today the world notes the twentieth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and the beginning of the fall of Apartheid. For many of my generation this day marks one of the most important in modern history. We will remember where we were and what we were doing in the same way people remember the end of World War II or the day men landed on the moon. President Mandela has been the moral voice of our world – literally, the world – since he was first sent to prison for fighting for racial justice and equality. Even in his retirement he speaks out against war and for reconciliation. As a student, I took part in anti-Apartheid protests and will always remember with great sadness how Ronald Reagan and other Americans either defended Apartheid or failed to support those struggling against it. Thankfully, many churches around the globe - including the United Church of Christ - helped to put pressure on the Reagan Administration and the whites-only government of South Africa that finally led to an end to Apartheid. February 11, 1990 will forever be remembered as a day when light broke through the darkness of human sin. In President Mandela we today have a living symbol of the best and most decent aspirations of humanity. His legacy is freedom and for generations to come he will be thought of alongside Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi and other giants who have fought for justice and made the world a brighter place.
Photo Credit: © 2010 Nelson Mandela Foundation. Used with permission.
