100 Year History Challenge | South Africa 1918 - A Year of Great Tragedy and the Birth Year of Nelson Mandela
The flu pandemic of 1918 took the lives of an estimated 50 to 100 million people, South Africa was the fifth worst affected country with an estimated 500 000 deaths. Worldwide the flu pandemic infected a third of the world's population, the source of the outbreak is unclear but evidence points to the army camps of World War 1 as the possible source. The rapid spread of the virus was due to the increase in travel, modern transportation made it easier for soldiers, sailors and civillians who were infected to spread the disease worldwide.
The year 1918 was the year the first world war ended and also the year that many people lost their lives to the flu pandemic. For South Africa 1918 would become significant for another reason, the birth of Nelson Mandela, the man that would become South Africa's first black President.
Nelson Mandela was born into a royal family of the Xhosa-speaking Thembu tribe, his parents were Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela. He was born on the 18 July 1918 in the village of Mvezo in the district of Qunu near Umtata in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. His birth name was Rolihlahla Mandela and he was later named Nelson by his teacher, but South Africans affectionately know him as Tata Madiba, tata meaning "father".
Nelson Mandela fought the injustices of apartheid and selflessly gave 27 years of his life for all the people of South Africa. He united a nation and helped South Africa transition peacefully from apartheid into the new South Africa. His aim was never to take revenge for the wrongs of apartheid but rather to reconcile a people.
Thanks to Nelson Mandela and all those who fought along side him, I started school in 1995 in a free South Africa with Nelson Mandela as my President. As a coloured South African I would not have all the freedoms that I have today if it were not for the efforts of all those who fought against apartheid and the leadership and vision of Nelson Mandela.
source 1 - flu pandemic
source 2 - WW1
source 3 - sa history
Great post!
Such an interesting read I of course new a lot about Nelson Mandela but never knew he was born in the year of that flu outbreak
Your Post Has Been Featured on @Resteemable!
Feature any Steemit post using resteemit.com!
How It Works:
1. Take Any Steemit URL
2. Erase
https://3. Type
reGet Featured Instantly – Featured Posts are voted every 2.4hrs
Join the Curation Team Here
A great post and I hope many will read this! Shocking totals that succumbed to the flu bug! Deserves an upvote!
Thank you... Yes it is quite shocking, never even knew about this flu pandemic!!
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by hoosain from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP.
Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.
Interesting read :)
Nice bit of our history @hoosain My Dad was born in 1911 and related stories on how they were educated in the Meyerton area.
Walked about 8 miles (12 kilometre) to school, where black, white and coloured pupils all attended, with the school still being built, lessons took place under a tree apparently.
Segregation only took place later and led down a path of misery, we can only praise people like Madiba for standing up and doing what he did. We must not forget, he was not the only one, many were not happy and stood up during the struggle years.
Alot has happend in 100 years! What a great man! I bet no one could have imagined the block chain, I wonder what we will be saying about it in 30 years time? Great read.
It's amazing how much has changed in 100 years,the world is a completely different place compared to 1918... Thanks for reading☺