Nelson Mandela faced numerous hardships that profoundly influenced his ideologies of freedom and equality. His 27-year imprisonment, endured primarily at Robben Island, was a formative experience, reinforcing his commitment to ending apartheid. Mandela's encounters with injustice and oppression shaped his understanding of the struggle for human rights, fortifying his belief in peaceful reconciliation. After his release, he continued to fight against systemic racism, advocating for a multiracial democracy in South Africa, which culminated in his election as the first Black president in 1994.