Before Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela assumed the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, he was an honored guest in Philadelphia as the recipient of The Liberty Medal, awarded annually to men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. Mandela received the Liberty Medal on July 4, 1993 along with F. W. de Klerk at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, in a ceremony hosted by President Bill Clinton. The joint appearance by Mandela and de Klerk in 1993 came with controversy, as some local leaders didn’t attend the ceremony because of de Klerk’s presence. Clinton acknowledged the struggle and progress in South Africa. “Here they...
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