Nelson Mandela, one of the most iconic figures of the twentieth century, passed away on December 5.

At ninety-five years old, Mandela left behind a remarkable legacy of struggle, courage, and triumph. The most intriguing aspect of Mandela’s legacy, perhaps, is how he managed to capture the hearts and minds of not only South Africans, but also those of people around the world.

Mandela was born into the royal house of the Thembu people, part of the tribal society of the Xhosa in a native reserve of Transkei one hundred-twenty miles north-east of East London. He was only nine years old when his father died of lung disease. Mandela found courage in himself when he endured the Xhosa tradition of ingcici, where a man would use a spear to perform a circumcision on young men who would then have to react by shouting “Ndiyindoda (I am a man).”

Mandela would then leave tribal society to attend two Methodist mission schools. His first day in class — and the first time he wore shoes — was when he received the name “Nelson.” He attended Fort Hare University College, the only black university in South Africa at the time and decided that he would become a civil servant and interpreter.

Eventually, Mandela began to favor a career in law. A cousin of Mandela’s introduced him to the future African National Congress Leader Walter Sisulu, who was then running an estate agency in Johannesburg. It was after several years in the company of the ANC when Mandela entered the political arena.

Mandela was an executive member and founder of the ANC Youth League in 1944, a group that was made to replace the old leadership of the current ANC. In 1948, the Nationalist Party won the whites-only general election and thus began the policy of apartheid that would plague South Africa until 1994.

Mandela and the ANC began looking to form alliances in opposition to apartheid. By this time, Mandela’s youth league had rejuvenated the stagnating ANC and was organizing civil disobedience campaigns. The failure of conventional methods and campaigning against apartheid led the ANC to believe its only option was armed resistance.

The government prevented further action in 1956 when it arrested Mandela and over one hundred other activists for treason. The case was difficult to make, and it wasn’t until 1958 that ninety-five of the defendants stood for trial at the Transvaal Supreme Court.

In 1961, the trial had ended and the remaining defendants were acquitted. By this time, Mandela had remained one step ahead of authorities until he returned home from a tour of the continent and was captured in 1962.

Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and would become South Africa’s president in 1994. He served only a single term, retiring in 1999.

Mandela’s death is one of an immense icon who may never be replaced in our lifetime. “His death calls attention to his legacy,” Global History teacher Ms. Lois Hawkins said. “There aren’t many people willing to go to jail for twenty-seven years for what they believe in. He came out working towards peace and was careful to make sure the government did not go after white South Africans.”

Media outlets from many countries other than South Africa have expressed how Mandela’s profound legacy impacted a nation and the lives of those forced to live under apartheid. Mandela became a beacon of greatness. A modern hero, Mandela has inspired millions despite his short career as a politician. How could this be, when Mandela was a more active rebel preceding his imprisonment than his post-incarceration presidency?

The answer to this lies in what his ascension to presidency meant. He was the symbol of the end of an era of violent oppression. He was a figure of struggle and courage. With his passing, it is up to those who have followed him to carry his legacy of idealism and equality throughout the ages.

Mandela himself found solace in his own legacy, embodying his ideals and beliefs in an interview with NPR. “Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.”