1970 — Nelson Mandela Given Honorary Degree While Imprisoned

On June 12, 1970, University of Lesotho awarded Nelson Mandela an honorary law degree in absentia while he was imprisoned by the apartheid regime in South Africa. Mandela had been sentenced to life in prison in 1964 for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. Despite his incarceration, his international stature continued to grow. The degree symbolized global recognition of Mandela’s moral leadership and opposition to racial injustice. It was one of the first in a long line of honors that would be conferred upon him while behind bars. This act of solidarity from Lesotho, a small neighboring country, underscored the rising international condemnation of apartheid and laid groundwork for the global Free Mandela campaign that intensified in the 1980s. Mandela would not be released until 1990, but symbolic gestures like this helped keep his name alive and his mission visible.