Listen Live
Donate
 on air
Schedule

KCRW

Read & Explore

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Events

Listen

  • Live Radio
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Full Schedule

Information

  • About
  • Careers
  • Help / FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Contact

Support

  • Become a Member
  • Become a VIP
  • Ways to Give
  • Shop
  • Member Perks

Become a Member

Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

DonateGive Monthly

Copyright 2025 KCRW. All rights reserved.

Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
Cookie Policy
|FCC Public Files

Back to To the Point

To the Point

South Africans Mourn the Death, Celebrate the Life of Nelson Mandela

Since he died yesterday at the age of 95, much of the world has been mourning Nelson Mandela , South Africa's first black president. Despite 27 years of brutal imprisonment as a suspected "terrorist," he is remembered as the father-figure who liberated a black majority from oppressive white rule and became a champion of racial reconciliation.

  • rss
  • Share
By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

Since he died yesterday at the age of 95, much of the world has been mourning Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president. Despite 27 years of brutal imprisonment as a suspected "terrorist," he is remembered as the father-figure who liberated a black majority from oppressive white rule and became a champion of racial reconciliation. But, the history is more complicated than that. We hear different opinions about the man and his legacy.

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Evan George

    Director of Content, News

  • Sonya Geis with wavy brown hair wearing a black dress with red accents and decorative earrings against a white background.

    Sonya Geis

    Senior Managing Editor

  • KCRW placeholder

    Christian Bordal

    Managing Producer, Greater LA

  • KCRW placeholder

    Peter Cox

    Voice of America

  • KCRW placeholder

    Zakes Mda

    South African novelist and playwright

  • KCRW placeholder

    Stan Greenberg

    Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research

    NewsNationalPolitics
Back to To the Point