Mandela honoured at White House dinner
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from October 1994.
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Nelson Mandela watched with delight Tuesday as the White House showed off its finery at a state dinner in his honour.
In the East Room, where guests ate off gilded plates at tables swimming in pink and white roses, Clinton recalled Mandela's 27 years in prison and told him Americans "marvel at the price you paid."
Nearly 200 guests were invited to the dinner, including many black American leaders and celebrities. Seated at an elevated head table, Mandela could see among the guests Jesse Jackson, poet Maya Angelou, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Coretta Scott King, the widow of a man in whom he found inspiration.
When he stood to toast Clinton, Mandela spoke of bonds that bind South Af[rica]. rica and America.
"Democracy and justice are ideas we in South Africa have cherished over the years," he said. "As in your country, many suffered and sacrificed as we traversed the long road to their attainment."
Mandela, who came to the United States in search of desperately needed capital and aid for the newly democratic South Africa, continued his pitch in the East Room, where candles burned in golden candlesticks and most of Clinton's Cabinet sat in attendance.
He thanked America for its help in fighting apartheid but asked for that help to keep coming.
"We thank you for your support then and for your commitment now to our newly achieved democracy, and to the reconstruction and development program of our country," he said.
Earlier in the day, Mandela pushed for help at another White House ceremony, attended by 4,000 people, including many diplomats and politicians.
