Photo of Nelson Mandela among floral tributes at South Africa House in London. Photo by Colin Taylor © Copyright Demotix (6 Dec 2013) Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa who played a crucial role in that country's dismantling of apartheid, died on Thursday, December 5, 2013 at the age of 95. The beloved statesman and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who is often referred to as Madiba, spent 27 years in prison for his political activities during the country's white minority rule before becoming president. Global Coverage Nelson Mandela's Death: ‘Left Us in Body, But His Spirit Is Eternal’ Barack Obama and Raúl Castro's Handshake at Mandela's Memorial Goes Viral The Caribbean Ponders the Legacy of Nelson Mandela Italian Newspapers Mistakenly Call Nelson Mandela ‘Father of Apartheid’ Mandela: Friend of Timor Leste and Indonesian Batik Fashion Icon 17 Pieces of Wisdom from Nelson Mandela that Everyone Needs to Read On Twitter, Peruvians Remember Song Dedicated to Mandela Nigerians Celebrate Nelson Mandela, ‘A Source of Inspiration for People’ Everywhere Chairman Mao Is Greater Than Nelson Mandela, Chinese Leftists Say Caribbean: Farewell, Nelson Mandela Tweets about “#Mandela”