Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918-2013) became South Africa’s first Black president in 1994, in the country’s first fully democratic election. His election came after a long struggle against the apartheid system of racial segregation in South Africa, in which Mandela played a key role and during which he was imprisoned for 27 years.

In December 1999, Nelson Mandela and his wife Graça Machel visited Seattle a few months after Mandela left office as president of South Africa. Their visit was intended to raise money for their charitable organizations. In addition to meeting with prominent philanthropists, Mandela and Machel addressed students at Seattle University, spoke at a world health conference at the University of Washington, attended a concert at Benaroya Hall (part of which Mandela conducted), and visited the Central Area and Madrona Elementary School to meet members of the community. They also thanked anti-apartheid activists in Seattle for their support and recognized Seattle for being one of the first US cities to boycott South African products in protest.

Here, Nelson Mandela speaks with Teresa Ryan, a member of the Seattle-based Tsimshian Haayuuk Dancers, as he leaves the welcoming ceremony at Boeing Field. The group danced and sang in their native language, S'malygax, at the ceremony.

Caption information source: “South African leaders Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel arrive in Seattle on December 8, 1999,” by Walt Crowley, HistoryLink, retrieved from https://www.historylink.org/File/3052.
Caption information source: Note by photographer Grant Haller on caption sheet included with negatives.