President George H. W. Bush Recalls Nelson Mandela’s Vision, Wisdom and Devotion

This week, shortly before Nelson Mandela’s death, President George H. W. Bush, Points of Light's founder, praised the South African leader for his “grace and dignity.”

Bush, the first American president to host Mandela at the White House, recalled for the Huffington Post his memories of meeting Mandela. Bush wrote, “We talked about how we shared the goal of true democracy and dismantling, once and for all, the vestiges of apartheid – a system that based the rights and freedoms of citizenship on the color of one's skin.”

Click here to read President Bush’s essay.

And to honor Mandela’s life of service, why not pledge to serve? Visit AllforGood.org to find volunteer opportunities in your area.