♪ yeah these are the days of gold ♪ ♪ well it's a southern summer whiskey's in the air dogs on the burner ♪ ♪ beer's ice cold gotta pretty little lady to hold oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ it's a southern summer that sun's shinin' down like daddy's silver dollar ♪ ♪ gotta hop on the old dirt road to the days of gold oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ a little bit of you little bit of me what you wanna do what's it gonna be ♪ ♪ we can get wild we can live free or you can shake it for me baby like a tambourine ♪ ♪ a slice of watermelon

and you spit the seed sweat on your back stickin' to the seat ♪ ♪ we can sneak off to beat the heat i'll be buzzin on you honey like a bumble bee ♪ ♪ yeah it's a southern summer whiskey's in the air dogs on the burner ♪ ♪ beer's ice cold got ta pretty little lady to hold oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ it's a southern summer that sun's shinin' down like daddy's silver dollar ♪

♪ gotta hop on the old dirt road to the days of gold ♪ ♪ ♪ thought it was safe to go outside but i guess i was wrong ♪ ♪ thought i could take a little ride just to see what was going on ♪ tonight, the man who changed his country and the world has died as age 95 we're live on the ground in south africa. >> night line was there. >> to spend that many years is a tragedy. >> how a young boxer fought his way through nearly three decades in prison, become a country's

first democrat lically elected president. >> he no longer belongs to us. he belongs to the ages. >> don't call me. i'll call you. >> his magnetic sense of humor, mandela was loved by everyone from world leaders to celebrities. >> when he visited the u.s., aretha franklin sang to him. tonight she's with us sharing her special memories only on "night line". >> this special edition of night line will be back in 60 sec

>> this is a special edition of "nightline" nelson mandela, a man who changed the world. >> good evening and thanks for joining us. nelson mandela's face is one of the most recognizable in the

world. and tonight in south africa this symbol of racial equality died at the age of 95. from boxer to advocate, prisoner to peace prize winner, seemed mandela was always fighting for a cause greater than himself. it's clear that his legacy as a champion of human rights, equality and freedom will be forever etched in our minds and memories. >> like so many around the globe, i cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that nelson mandela set. and so long as i live, i will do what i can to learn from him. >> to celebrities and mostly ordinary citizens of the world, an outpouring of love and mourning. we are live in johannesburg. alex? >> good evening, dan. a new day has dawned here in south africa. a profound sense of loss has swept across this country.

but what's remarkable are the scenes of celebration that we see. south africans going out in the streets. >> when the news broke tonight of mandela's death, south africans flocked to his home, young, old, white, black. they danced. they sang old songs of struggle from the apartheid era. >> i think we should celebrate what he has achieved and what he has given us. i wouldn't be free without him. >> but some who showed up to pay their respects were overcome with grief. >> i'm disappointed. i'm sad. but at the same time, i think he's had his part in life and he

did it very well. >> jacob zuma broke the news to the nation and to the world. >> he's now at peace. our nation has lost its greatest son. our people have lost a father. >> tributes to the man immediately poured in, including from f.d. declare, the last president of white supremist south africa. >> now there will be ten days of national mourning during which time mandela will lie in state so that south africans can say

their final good-byes before his body is transported back for barrel. >> when nelson mandela walked out of prison in 1990, after nearly 30 years it represented much more than his personal freedom. it meant that he and all of those who fought so hard for him and his cause had finally won a major battle. ted coppel was there to speak with him soon after he was released. >> this is abc news nightline, reporting from south africa, ted coppel. >> tonight we have only one guest, nelson mandela. most people would look at the last 27 years of your life and say to themselves what a waste. what about you? >> that is true. to spend 27 years in jail is a tragedy. i regret the years that i have

wasted in prison. but, very positive aspects, too, because i had the opportunity to think about problems and to reflect on my mistakes. >> amazing. and over the years, mandela's special history continued. on the man who helped change so much. >> there is mr. nelson mandela, a free man taking his first step s. >> it was a long walk. a walk that lasted nearly a century. freedom and human dignity. a walk he ended up taking the whole world on. on behalf of our rainbow nation, i welcome you all. >> nelson mandela towered over. a moral and political strength

and profound decency. >> rebirth that can now be realized. so that all of our children may play in the sun. >> mandela was born in 1918 into a royal family, but he grew up under apartheid, the the vicious cycle of segregation by which the white minority ruled south africa. it's hard today to imagine the pure evil of that system. abject poverty for blacks and restrictions on travel, education and employment. whites enjoyed all of the power and riches in this country. his triable name meant troublemaker so perhaps it was his des atindestiny.

he became a leading agitator for change as an attorney. he and the african national congress took up armed struggle. >> will tl are many that feel it is useless for us to continue talking peace and non-violence. >> mandela was a born leader and in 1964 the apartheid government tried him for treason and sought the death penalty. >> i have challenerished the id a democratic and free society. it is an idea for which i hope to live for and to see realized. but my lord, if it needs be, it is an idea for which i am prepared to die.

>> mandela was sent to robben i-lend prison and not heard from for nearly 30 years. he was just prisoner number 46664. mandela became a myth, a global symbol for the fight against apartheid. and then in 1990, the south african government, under increasing pressure suddenly yielded. >> mr. nelson mandela will be released. >> it was an amazing moment when mandela walked out of prison on february 11, 1990, the world rejoiced. after his release, there was miraculously no trace of bitterness for what he had endured. >> today, the majority of south africans, black and white, recognize that apartheid has no

future. >> he worked with his form ehren my to move towards free elections and the end of apartheid. he and the clerk were jointly awarded the nobel peace prize in 1993 and then the following year, this. the world looked on in wonder and joy as millions of black south africans lined up to vote for the first time. nelson mandela was elected president in a landslide. a few months later at his inauguration, he declared a new era for his beloved country. >> never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again have the oppression of one by another. >> mandela served only one five year term.

the years had taken their toll. mandela and his wife winnie divorced after a four year separation. he took on the role of elder world statesman fighting injus sis. he married his third wife and long time congressmmpanion on h birthday. >> don't call me. i'll call you. >> his public apparents became increasingly rare, each one of them a reason to celebrate. he was all smiles when his great grandchildren sang to him on his 92nd birthday. when he closed his eyes for the last time, mandela was surrounded by hi his family and by the affection and admire ration of the world. he has truly fought the good fight, walked that long walk. a journey unfinished towards

juss 'tis, peace, and love. and on that journey, we all follow in nelson mandela's footsteps. >> thank you for that inspiring report. next what happened when mandela came to america? and we talked to the queen of soul who sang for him then. ♪

the impact of that effort was felt well beyond those borders, especially here in the united states. you met mr. mandela on his first visit. >> it was 23 years ago. long before he chatted with a young reporter, this historic figure moved a nation. >> nelson mandela. >> for many who heard nelson mandela speak it was not so much his oratory skills. >> nothing will stop our date with destiny. but a story that inspired. a story so familiar and intertwined with america's past but also painful. >> racism will not survive. >> it was just four months after he was set free from prison that nelson mandela set foot in america for the first time, an eight city tour starting in new

york. it was magic. it was as if malcolm or martin were still alive and the nets had won all in one day. >> nelson mandela was able to achieve, demonstrated what in fact can occur. >> one american who like mandela knows the high price of equality, congressman john lewis. >> if nelson mandela can do it we can do it. >> the movie about mandela's life premiered in london. those who attended didn't know mandela had died until after. >> the anti-apartheid protests of the 80s captivated new audiences.

>> the ongoing violence there in township townships, he took the story of one man to help america better understand the struggle of one nation. mandela reminded the world reconciliation was more powerful than revenge. forgiveness is a gift to be given. >> i said didn't you hate the people when they let you go? he said briefly i did. but i said to myself they have had you 27 years. if you hate them when you get through that door they will still have you. >> if you can proceed through life with just a portion of nelson mandela's humility, you will be a huge success. >> the audacity of mandela's rise also inspired a young politician from illinois. barack obama met nelson mandela

when he was just a junior senator in 5. and years later had the chance to tell her. >> you cannot imagine how important your legacy is to who i am, to who my husband is. i just said thank you. thank you. thank you. >> there was little wonder why watching a 71-year-old man dance could please so many. it was the walk that preceded it. when i met mr. mandela there was time for one question. what is the one thing in life you know for sure? nelson mandela chose and america loved him for it. >> this was at 4:00 in the morning. >> right. >> thanks very much. appreciate it. we'll be right back. keep our c. and we've made a big commitment to america.

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♪ >> people around the world remembering nelson mandela tonight including the queen of soul,a aretha franklin.

she shared the stage with mandela at a rally to celebrate his release from prison. i spoke with her tonight. ♪ mr. mandela >> it was tremendous. it was a lot of excitement. electricity in the air. and he was truly one of the great great heroes of our time. >> when we were in prison, we appreciated and listened to the sound. >> his spirit and his ideals and his heart and soul could not be imprisoned. >> if you were going to perform a tribute song to him now, do

you know what it would be? >> respect. no question about it. respect. ♪ >> no question about it. nelson mandela is already one of the most quoted men on the planet. his words helped bring an end to apartheid and still inspire those fighting injustice today. >> we are here because you took the humane decision that you could not ignore. humanity represented. >> as we