Who was Nelson Mandela’s first wife?

Nelson Mandela’s first wife was Evelyn Mase.

Mandela and Evelyn Mase married in 1944. They met in Johannesburg while Mase was working as a nurse, and their marriage took place during the period when Mandela was becoming increasingly involved in the African National Congress and political activism.

The couple had four children, although one daughter died in infancy. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1958. Mandela’s later political prominence often causes people to identify Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as his first wife, but Winnie was his second wife; they married in 1958.

Evelyn Mase largely remained outside the public political spotlight. Her life is nevertheless important for understanding Mandela’s early adulthood, family responsibilities, and the personal pressures surrounding his growing commitment to resistance politics.