Nelson Mandela became the most prominent advocate for the end of apartheid in South Africa through his commitment to peaceful resistance. As a leader of the African National Congress, he believed in forging a path toward equality and justice without resorting to violence. Mandela's imprisonment for 27 years drew international attention to the injustices of apartheid, and upon his release in 1990, he worked towards a peaceful transition to a democratic South Africa. His leadership culminated in the 1994 elections, where he became the nation’s first Black president, leading efforts to heal and unite a fractured society.