On this page, you will find a selection of posters, handwritten cards and political ephemera on Nelson Mandela, hand-picked from our archival collections. More material on Nelson Mandela in archival collections can be identified by searching the database of archival finding aids AtoM@UCT.
Release Mandela now! We salute you comrade. Release Mandela Campaign, [198-?]. A campaign demanding the release of all political prisoners was launched in South Africa and abroad in 1982. The Release Nelson Mandela campaign which called for economic and other sanctions against South Africa became the symbol of the international Anti-Apartheid Movement which gained support around the world. [BPL 595]
Nelson Mandela: his life in the struggle, 1988. London: International Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa. Portable exhibition of photographs. 14 posters depicting his childhood, early years, defiance, armed struggle, underground, treason trial, capture, Robben Island [BAP 322.42 MAND]
Nelson Mandela: Mandela the people's leader. African National Congress, [199-?]. A campaign poster for the first South African democratic elections. [BPM 472]
Mandela 70th Birthday poster, 1988. Mandela Birthday Committee, Salt River, Cape Town.
Welcome home, Nelson Mandela, 1990. Sached Trust,Johannesburg.[BPS 045]
The quote on the poster is from the final paragraph of his speech as The First Accused at the Rivonia Trial which took place in Pretoria from 9 October 1963 - 12 June 1964. The Rivonia Trial led to the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela and others on convictions of sabotage for which they were sentenced to life. Mandela's Rivonia Trial Speech on News24
Release Mandela Campaign Calendar, 1990. UCT Special Collections African Studies Library. Published by S.l. : Release Mandela campaign.
Election poster, 1994. African National Congress
Nelson Mandela, a tribute from South African sport to a man for all sports, 2009. Havana Media. [BPM 184]
Digital Collections website
Explore photographs related to Nelson Mandela from various collections in this digital repository.
Nelson Mandela signing the register before the graduation ceremony at which the University of Cape Town conferred an honorary doctorate on him, 30 November 1990
Nelson Mandela during the graduation ceremony at which the University of Cape Town conferred an honorary doctorate on him, 30 November 1990, together with the Vice-Chancellor Prof Stuart Saunders.
General view of the stage and audience at the specially arranged graduation ceremony on the rugby fields of the campus of the University of Cape Town at which the university conferred an honorary doctorate on Nelson Mandela, 30 November 1990
Greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela, 1989
Prof HW van der Merwe was head of the Centre for Intergroup Studies at the University of Cape Town and a pioneer of conflict resolution in South Africa. He and his wife Marietjie forged a supportive friendship with both Nelson and Winnie Mandela in the 1980s and were allowed to visit them. Van der Merwe was known as “HW” by his friends and Nelson Mandela called him “Harvey”. The original letters from both Mandelas in the HW van der Merwe Papers are kept in Special Collections of UCT Libraries.
These greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela to Marietjie van der Merwe from the Victor Verster Prison (with postal address Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison) show his appreciation of the support and assistance given to his family by the Van der Merwes and his affection for Marietjie.
Greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela, 1989
Prof HW van der Merwe was head of the Centre for Intergroup Studies at the University of Cape Town and a pioneer of conflict resolution in South Africa. He and his wife Marietjie forged a supportive friendship with both Nelson and Winnie Mandela in the 1980s and were allowed to visit them. Van der Merwe was known as “HW” by his friends and Nelson Mandela called him “Harvey”. The original letters from both Mandelas in the HW van der Merwe Papers are kept in Special Collections of UCT Libraries.
These greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela to Marietjie van der Merwe from the Victor Verster Prison (with postal address Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison) show his appreciation of the support and assistance given to his family by the Van der Merwes and his affection for Marietjie.
Greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela, 1989
Prof HW van der Merwe was head of the Centre for Intergroup Studies at the University of Cape Town and a pioneer of conflict resolution in South Africa. He and his wife Marietjie forged a supportive friendship with both Nelson and Winnie Mandela in the 1980s and were allowed to visit them. Van der Merwe was known as “HW” by his friends and Nelson Mandela called him “Harvey”. The original letters from both Mandelas in the HW van der Merwe Papers are kept in Special Collections of UCT Libraries.
These greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela to Marietjie van der Merwe from the Victor Verster Prison (with postal address Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison) show his appreciation of the support and assistance given to his family by the Van der Merwes and his affection for Marietjie.
Greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela, 1989
Prof HW van der Merwe was head of the Centre for Intergroup Studies at the University of Cape Town and a pioneer of conflict resolution in South Africa. He and his wife Marietjie forged a supportive friendship with both Nelson and Winnie Mandela in the 1980s and were allowed to visit them. Van der Merwe was known as “HW” by his friends and Nelson Mandela called him “Harvey”. The original letters from both Mandelas in the HW van der Merwe Papers are kept in Special Collections of UCT Libraries.
These greeting cards written by Nelson Mandela to Marietjie van der Merwe from the Victor Verster Prison (with postal address Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison) show his appreciation of the support and assistance given to his family by the Van der Merwes and his affection for Marietjie.