I met Nelson Mandela on his first visit to USA in 1994 in the DC Convention Center and had a warm hand sake. Nelson Mandela was released from jail in 1990 after 27 years while his wife, Winnie had continued the burning fire of desire for a majority rule in South Africa.
Mr. Mandela attention on me may have been because I was an Indian; there were not many Indians in USA (and in those days India was a third world country just on the way to rise to a second work horse in Asian countries); and feeling of how a black leader in a white majority nation might be treated.
That time Henry Kissinger was the Secretary of State and in that meeting I also had a hand sake with Kissinger. Later on that day after the lunch they caught me again in the crowd and had a second hand sake. I am sure that impressed me a lot!
The following reference was on Winnie Mandela on her death at the age of 81 and is very interesting to read. This article is very important looking at the relationship, emotion, human factor, and behavior with mutual admiration, under a very visible stressful life. The writer, Jim Hoagland has done a good job putting it together.
The writer describes how they had a lot of admiration and love for each other at the same time being very different humans. Winie was the most beautiful, they were very competitive, Winni’s sex life being different, and both being described as mother and father of the nation, South Africa.
