Mandela was born into the royal lineage of a South African tribe, but he migrated to the city of Johannesburg and eventually became a lawyer for black Africans there. He began non-violent opposition- influenced by Gandhi- to the apartheid policy of the white government, but the violent suppression of black Africans led him reluctantly to guerrilla warfare. He later became South Africa's first black President, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in negotiating a bloodless revolution. His great example of wisdom, forgiveness, and courage is heard in his own words: "There is no time to be bitter, there is work to be done."