In 1964, at the age of 46, South African activist Nelson Mandela entered the notorious Robben Island prison. He had been given a life sentence for his struggle against the government"s system of apartheid, or racial segregation. After 27 years in prison, Mandela was released, and by 1994, he had become the first black president of South Africa. How did Mandela manage to create change in the face of so much oppression? What kept him fighting for so many years? The exciting biographies in the Front-Page Lives series take an in-depth look at some of the world"s most fascinating people.