← Top 10 at 10: 10 Ways Nelson Mandela Changed History

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By Janel Martinez | Published January 31, 2011 | Full size is 500 × 320 pixels

AIDS Advocate In January of 2005, the revered leader announced that his son Makgatho, 54, died of AIDS complications. AIDS activists praised Mandela’s decision to disclose his son’s condition because the epidemic is rarely, if at all, talked about in the South African community. According to 2009 statistics, 310,000 South Africans died of AIDS and approximately 5.6 million are living with HIV and AIDS. His announcement was part of a larger initiative to spread awareness about the disease.

AIDS Advocate In January of 2005, the revered leader announced that his son Makgatho,…

SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 01: President Nelson Mandela. a smiling President Nelson Mandela waving a a small ANC flag with a little girl on his lap. (Photo by Media24/Gallo Images/Getty Images)