Nelson's Column may be a familiar London landmark, but have you ever taken a close look at the bronze reliefs? Nelson led a force of around 18,000 sailors against France and Spain in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and one shows a Black sailor guarding the wounded Vice-Admiral. Evidence from muster rolls, which detail every man on the ships during the battle, shows that 18 were born in Africa and another 123 in the West Indies. The relief was added in 1849, over 40 years after the battle, and i

On this day in 1964, Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison in South Africa. Discover his early life and see what prompted him to join the African National Congress to fight apartheid. Learn about his 27 years of imprisonment and his work - and legacy - as the first black president of South Africa. | Biography