On what date was Nelson Mandela born?

Nelson Mandela was born on 18 July 1918. His birth took place in Mvezo, a small village in the Transkei region of South Africa, then part of the Cape Province.

Mandela was born into the Thembu royal family. His father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, was a local chief and counsellor to the Thembu king. Mandela’s original given name was Rolihlahla, which is commonly translated from Xhosa as “pulling the branch of a tree” and informally associated with causing trouble.

The name “Nelson” was given to him by a teacher at the Methodist school he attended. South Africa later declared 18 July as Nelson Mandela International Day, encouraging people to devote 67 minutes to community service, representing Mandela’s 67 years of public service.