7. Release of Nelson Mandela from Prison (1990)
Release of Nelson Mandela from Prison. Photo credit: History Channel
After spending 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela, the leader of the South African anti-Apartheid movement, was set free on February 11, 1990. The freedom fighter was welcomed by hundreds of thousands of Black South Africans in the streets of Cape Town, where he delivered a rousing speech. But the celebrations soon turned violent as the crowd went on a looting spree, vandalizing shops and other businesses in Cape Town. Mandela was later appointed as the leader of the ANC.
