With the passing of Nelson Mandela comes an opportune time to examine his roots. In The Founders, the founding director of the Robben Island Museum, Andre Odendaal, explores the early political movements and personalities that culminated in the founding of Mandela’s party, the African National Congress, in 1912. Although they failed to achieve a color-blind nation, they at first managed to moderate racist policies; blacks voted in some districts and even stood for office at the turn of the 20th century. The tide of racism overtook their efforts, but they influenced younger generations of leaders, including Mandela, who came to the fore in the struggle against apartheid.
