Nelson Mandela has turned 93.
The world is celebrating the Former President of South Africa.
Interviewing Mandela more than 20 years ago, during his historic trip to New York remains the crowning moment of my career.
In my book, “No Momma’s Boy,” I write about that encounter with Mandela, and what he taught me about life. Never to have a defeatist attitude, conquer your fears, and what believing in yourself can do.
Below is an excerpt from the book, about that faithful encounter with Nelson Mandela. It starts with being a member of the Press Corps covering the 1988 Presidential Campaign of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and traveling with Jackson to the Persian Gulf to visit American Trips for Christmas.
On that trip, our group stopped in countries like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. I was spellbound. Here I was, a poor kid from the Bronx, in a completely different world. I had made quite a name for myself. When other reporters asked “Why?” I asked “Why not?”
Jackson lost the democratic nomination, but the true highlight of my radio career was the visit of Nelson Mandela, who was the symbol of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in July 1918, and joined the African National Congress in 1942. After two decades of fighting for the end of the racist apartheid system, he was given a life sentence and sent to a notorious maximum security prison near Cape Town. After twenty-seven years behind bars, Mandela continued his work and headed to the United States for a twelve-day, eight-city tour. His first stop was New York City. This visit was a triple-crown story because it had local, national, and international appeal. New Yorkers prepared to treat Mandela as an adopted son, and the newly crowned Dinkins administration gave him first-class treatment. Mandela was given a parade along the Canyon of heroes up lower Broadway in Manhattan. Major rallies for Mandela were planned in Harlem and Yankee Stadium.
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The world is celebrating the Former President of South Africa.
Interviewing Mandela more than 20 years ago, during his historic trip to New York remains the crowning moment of my career.
In my book, “No Momma’s Boy,” I write about that encounter with Mandela, and what he taught me about life. Never to have a defeatist attitude, conquer your fears, and what believing in yourself can do.
Below is an excerpt from the book, about that faithful encounter with Nelson Mandela. It starts with being a member of the Press Corps covering the 1988 Presidential Campaign of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and traveling with Jackson to the Persian Gulf to visit American Trips for Christmas.
On that trip, our group stopped in countries like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. I was spellbound. Here I was, a poor kid from the Bronx, in a completely different world. I had made quite a name for myself. When other reporters asked “Why?” I asked “Why not?”
Jackson lost the democratic nomination, but the true highlight of my radio career was the visit of Nelson Mandela, who was the symbol of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in July 1918, and joined the African National Congress in 1942. After two decades of fighting for the end of the racist apartheid system, he was given a life sentence and sent to a notorious maximum security prison near Cape Town. After twenty-seven years behind bars, Mandela continued his work and headed to the United States for a twelve-day, eight-city tour. His first stop was New York City. This visit was a triple-crown story because it had local, national, and international appeal. New Yorkers prepared to treat Mandela as an adopted son, and the newly crowned Dinkins administration gave him first-class treatment. Mandela was given a parade along the Canyon of heroes up lower Broadway in Manhattan. Major rallies for Mandela were planned in Harlem and Yankee Stadium.
Read more >>
