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Nelson Mandela's 78th Birthday Attendance

Date confirmed in “The Baltimore Sun” (archived) (“Thursday [July 18, 1996] night visit to Nelson Mandela's suburban house. It was Mandela's 78th birthday”)

“The Baltimore Sun” (July 20, 1996) (archived)

Since his arrival in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Michael Jackson's every footstep has been followed by a breathless South African press, starting with his arrival at the airport before a mob of adoring fans.

Then there was his appearance at a monument to those who died in anti-apartheid uprisings at a Soweto cemetery, a large umbrella guarding his sensitive skin from the strong winter sun in the 6,000-foot altitude, again accompanied by a huge crowd of screaming youngsters.

Then there were the television images of his Thursday night visit to Nelson Mandela's suburban house. It was Mandela's 78th birthday and Jackson joined a small party accompanied with some children. For some reason, Jackson didn’t join in when they sang “Happy Birthday”.