Nelson Mandela walks free after 27 years in prison

On 11 February 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison near Paarl, South Africa, after 27 years of imprisonment. He was greeted by tens of thousands of supporters as he walked out hand-in-hand with his wife Winnie. Mandela had been imprisoned since 1964 for his role in the anti-apartheid movement. His release was a pivotal moment in the transition to democracy in South Africa. He became the country's first Black president in 1994.