On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela stood before thousands of people and took the oath of office as president of South Africa. It was a moment many thought would never come. For decades, South Africa had been governed by a system called apartheid. Under apartheid, the white minority controlled the government and the economy. Black South Africans were forced to live in separate areas, attend separate schools, and use separate public facilities. Mandela was born in 1918 in a small village. He studied law and became a leader in the African National Congress, a group that fought against apartheid. When peaceful protests failed, some members turned to resistance that the government called illegal. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to life in prison. He spent twenty-seven years behind bars, mostly on Robben Island. During his time in prison, Mandela became a worldwide symbol of the fight against injustice. His name appeared on protest signs from London to New York. Finally, in 1990, the South African government released him. Four years later, in the country's first democratic election where all races could vote, Mandela won the presidency. His inauguration was watched by billions around the world.