Nelson Mandela walks free after 27 years of imprisonment under apartheid.
At a Glance
- Date
- 11 February 1990
- Location
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Key people
- Nelson Mandela
- Category
- Diaspora & Global
- Source
- Contemporary press, February 11, 1990 · Britannica
What It Meant Then
His release marked the irreversible turn toward majority rule in South Africa.
What It Means Now
Mandela would be elected the country's first Black president in 1994.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Nelson Mandela Is Released from Prison.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/nelson-mandela-is-released-from-prison/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Nelson Mandela Is Released from Prison. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/nelson-mandela-is-released-from-prison/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Nelson Mandela Is Released from Prison.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/nelson-mandela-is-released-from-prison/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.