Long Walk to Freedom

At the ANC conference at the end of 1952, Chief Albert Luthuli is elected the new president of the ANC, and Mandela becomes one of the four deputy presidents. Mandela soon finds himself under a ban that prohibits him from attending any meetings or gatherings, including his son’s birthday party, for six months.

Mandela proposes that the National Executive Committee develop a plan in case the ANC is banned and must go underground. He is put in charge of developing this Mandela-Plan or M-Plan. After several months, he puts forward his plan for establishing local cells and reporting systems. It is only moderately successful and, once again, confined to the cities.

Meanwhile, Mandela is supporting himself and his family. He works at several law firms before opening his own law office with former classmate Oliver Tambo at the end of 1952. Their office serves mostly Africans who are harassed by the government. Mandela and Tambo themselves suffer this when they are told they may not occupy a business premise in the city without government approval. The case goes against them, but Mandela and Tambo refuse to vacate their offices.