Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18,1918. He was educated at University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He joined the African National Congress in 1944. In June 1961, the ANC considered his proposal on the use of violent actions and agreed that those members who wished to involve themselves in Mandela's campaign would not be stopped from doing so by the ANC．Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment with hard labour. In 1963, Mandela was brought to stand trial of plotting to overthrow the government by violence. On June 12,1964, Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town.