On this day in 1964, Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison in South Africa. Discover his early life and see what prompted him to join the African National Congress to fight apartheid. Learn about his 27 years of imprisonment and his work - and legacy - as the first black president of South Africa. | Biography

Like apartheid, global poverty is man-made, says Nelson Mandela. In this famous London speech in 2005, he urges world leaders to take action. But not a lot has changed since then. Nearly 67% of Sub-Saharan Africa lives in extreme poverty (on less than $2.15 per day), according to the World Bank. And South Africa remains the world’s most unequal country, with the top 10% owning around 90% of its wealth. Mandela makes three demands to eradicate the “scourge of our time”: trade justice, debt eradic