Shortly after Nelson Mandela was released from prison, Mandela met Graca Machel, the widow of the former Mozambican president, Samora Machel, later recalling her as "a very impressive woman and striking personality".
The couple decided to get married on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, 18 July 1998 and invited 2,000 international guests. They got married in Nelson's beautiful home in Houghton, Johannesburg.
"I cannot describe my joy and happiness to receive the love and warmth of such a humble but gracious and brilliant lady," Mandela wrote at the time. "It gives me unbelievable comfort and satisfaction to know that there [is] somebody somewhere in the universe on whom I can rely, especially on matters where my political comrades cannot provide me."
Machel is 27 years younger than Mandela and is the only women in the world to have been the first lady in two countries.
Before marrying Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel had two children: Josina and Malengani and was married to Samora Machel, the first President of Mozambique, in 1957. Samora Machel died in a plane crash in South Africa in 1986.
"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."~ Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela returned to his home in Soweto after his release from prison in 1990. Nelson grew up in No. 8115 Vilakazi Street and has sinc...
Madiba laughs as his shoe comes off while kicking a soccer ball....
In 1991, Nelson Mandela received an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg for his commitment to the country ...
Mandela and other activists had an array of supporters that came to the court each time defendants were summoned. Pictured is a young Madiba...