The first legal photograph of Nelson Mandela released.

Date: 4 Jun 2016
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

The first legal photograph of Nelson Mandela released.

Nelson Mandela was a member of the banned African National Congress and a famous black political prisoner in South Africa. In 1964 Mandela was convicted of sabotage in the Rivonia Trial and sentenced to life imprisonment. On 4 June 1994, the first photograph of Mandela was released since 1964.The name of Nelson Mandela was well known, but most people had never seen him as after 1964 it was illegal to have his photographs or to photograph him for the 22 years that he had been in prison. Mandela’s reproduced photograph appeared on a Booklet titled ‘Talking to the ANC’. The booklet was produced by the Bureau of information, revealing all the political prisoners and the banned African National Congress literature.

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Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2016, June 3). The first legal photograph of Nelson Mandela released.. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0121088

South African History Online (2016) 'The first legal photograph of Nelson Mandela released.', South African History Online, 3 June. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0121088 (Accessed: 1 October 2026).

South African History Online, The first legal photograph of Nelson Mandela released. [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0121088, (accessed 1 October 2026).

"The first legal photograph of Nelson Mandela released.." South African History Online, 3 June 2016, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0121088. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "The first legal photograph of Nelson Mandela released.." South African History Online. June 3, 2016. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0121088.