I Am Prepared to Die
Nelson Mandela's powerful courtroom speech defending the fight against apartheid, delivered from the dock at the Rivonia Trial
I Am Prepared to Die
Delivered: April 20, 1964, Pretoria Supreme Court, South Africa
Introduction
I am the first accused. I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and practiced as an attorney in Johannesburg for a number of years in partnership with Oliver Tambo. I am a convicted prisoner serving five years for leaving the country without a permit and for inciting people to go on strike at the end of May 1961.
The Struggle Against Apartheid
I admit immediately that I was one of the persons who helped to form Umkhonto we Sizwe, and that I played a prominent role in its affairs until I was arrested in August 1962.
At the outset, I want to say that the suggestion made by the State in its opening that the struggle in South Africa is under the influence of foreigners or communists is wholly incorrect. I have done whatever I did, both as an individual and as a leader of my people, because of my experience in South Africa and my own proudly felt African background, and not because of what any outsider might have said.
The Ideal of Democracy
During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.
It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.
Speech Analysis
Historical Context: Mandela delivered this speech from the dock at the Rivonia Trial, where he and other anti-apartheid activists faced charges that could result in the death penalty. The speech lasted over four hours and laid out the moral and political case against apartheid.
Key Techniques:
- Personal Testimony: Speaks from lived experience
- Moral Authority: Establishes ethical foundation
- Balanced Argument: Opposes both white and black domination
- Powerful Conclusion: "Prepared to die" became iconic
- Dignified Tone: Maintains composure under extreme pressure
Impact: The speech helped save Mandela from the death penalty and became a defining document of the anti-apartheid movement. It articulated the principles that would guide South Africa's transition to democracy decades later.
Lessons for Speakers:
- Speak your truth with conviction - Even under threat
- Balance passion with reason - Emotion and logic together
- Articulate clear principles - Make your values explicit
- End memorably - Final words carry weight
- Maintain dignity - Composure enhances credibility
- Personal experience matters - Authenticity resonates
Modern Applications:
- Standing up for principles in difficult situations
- Defending unpopular but just causes
- Speaking truth to power
- Maintaining composure under pressure
- Articulating a vision worth fighting for
Legacy: This speech became one of the most important political statements of the 20th century. Mandela spent 27 years in prison but emerged to become South Africa's first democratically elected president, implementing the ideals he articulated in this speech.
Key Quotes
"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination."
"I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities."
"It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."