During the late 1950's, Nelson and Oliver, and other people turned the ANC into a more military direction. After the police massacred 69 black, the ANC abandoned the nonviolence strategy and Mandela helped establish the ANC's Military Wing in December 1961. After Mandela was named commander of the Military Wing he went to Algeria for military training. Later in August of 1961 Nelson was arrested in South Africa for leaving the country illegally. In June 1964 Mandela was found guilty of other charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. Nelson and other political leaders were able to keep contact with the movement, regardless of the maximum security in the Robben Island Prison. In 1994 the autobiography that Mandela wrote in prison was published. Nelson was moved to another Max-Security prison; and he became a symbol of resistance. Many of the world leaders demanded for his release. In February 1990 Mandela was released from prison.

In 1993 Nelson Mandela was awarded with the noble peace Prize, for all of his acts. The next year Mandela became the first black president of the republic of South Africa. In 1996 Nelson signed into Law a new South African Constitution. In 1996 Nelson and his wife, Winnie Mandela, divorced. Finally, in 1999, he stopped being the president of South Africa.