In spring 2015, the African and African American Studies department is offering students a chance to learn about the life and legacy of Nelson
Mandela.
“The Philosophy and Thoughts of Nelson Mandela” will be led by adjunct professor Dr. Herman O. Kelly Jr., who has been teaching at the University since 2000. Kelly first taught the course in spring 2013 and began teaching it again this year after taking a break for the University to verify his credentials.
Kelly also has taught courses in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and the Manship School of Mass Communication. During his time at the Manship School, Kelly taught “Martin, Malcolm and Mandela in the Media,” and he said the Mandela course is an offshoot of the class. 
This will be Kelly’s first semester teaching the class since Mandela’s passing, and he now plans to focus on helping students understand his legacy as a
leader. 
“I want people to really understand his legacy because when he was alive, we kind of took him for granted,” Kelly said.  
Kelly also will teach Mandela’s role in ending apartheid in South Africa and show students the similarities between apartheid and the Jim Crow era. 
He credits a lot of Mandela’s success in leading to his “Shepard Leadership” style. 
“He lets the people go out in front as if they are leading, but he’s really leading from behind which is totally different from this culture where the leader is out front,” Kelly said. 
He hopes students can learn you don’t have to lead from the front in order to be successful from this course. 
“You need to nurture and mentor people, and you can lead as long as you are there to help develop the policies and strategies,” Kelly said. 
Theatre senior Tyler Ales said it’s important the University offers this course and will consider taking it because of his interest in politics and history.
“It’s a good thing to have classes like this at LSU because it creates a more diverse community through learning about other cultures and different
histories,” Ales said. 
Apparel design senior Maddie Louviere said it’s great the University is offering the specific and original course so students now can benefit by learning about another culture’s struggles. 
“It’s cool that they have courses like that, and I feel like the University has been trying to spread their course load out by offering new and exciting
courses,” Louviere said. 
Kelly said one student signed up for the class next semester is promoting the class through flyers around campus. For the course to remain offered, there must be at least 10 students enrolled. 
Kelly said he hopes to reach 10 students and that Mandela’s ideas and philosophies could be beneficial to students. 
“It’s a good class for young students because you really need to know about his heritage and some of the struggles he went through,” Kelly said.