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Nelson Mandela Honored In New York City (PHOTOS)

New York Mourns The Passing Of Nelson Mandela
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New Yorkers are mourning the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday at the age of 95. Both Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced flags at City Hall and state buildings would be lowered to half-staff to remember the iconic anti-apartheid leader.

Mandela visited New York City several times over the last few decades and every trip was highly anticipated by the people of New York.

In 1990, a ticker-tape parade was thrown in honor of Mandela and he spoke to a sold-out crowd at Yankee Stadium. He visited again after he was elected president of South Africa and then later in 2001 following the attacks on September 11th. In 2005, Bloomberg gave Mandela a key to the city.

“The ticker-tape parade Mayor Dinkins organized for him in 1990 was a great moment for our city," said Bloomberg in a statement. "And his visit here in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 helped give our city strength and hope — for which we will be forever grateful."

The historic Apollo Theater announced Mandela's death on it's marquee, which read: "In memory of Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013. He changed our world."

Bloomberg also announced Friday that the city will create a high-school focused on social justice named after Mandela, the New York Post reports.

The school will be located in Brooklyn at the Boys & Girls High School building. Mandela visited the high school during his 1990 New York Trip.

Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio worked in the Dinkins in administration and heard Mandela speak at Yankee Stadium in 1990. "We came to believe in his fight for justice and democracy as if it were our own," said de Blasio in a statement. "For so many of us, the fight for a free South Africa became the rallying cry of our generation."

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Nelson Mandela Remembered In NYC
People Around The World React To News Of Nelson Mandela's Death(01 of18)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: A man prays under the marquee at the historic Apollo Theater, which announced the death of former South African President and civil rights champion Nelson Mandela, on December 5, 2013 in the Harlem neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York, United States. Mandela was a leader that helped conquer apartheid in racially divided South Africa after being jailed for his activism for decades. He was South Africa's first black president; he lived from 1918-2013.(Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(02 of18)
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The flags of South Africa and United States fly at half staff on the facade of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) (credit:AP)
(03 of18)
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South African Neil Watts places flowers at a memorial for Nelson Mandela outside the South African consulate in midtown Manhattan, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, in New York. South Africa's first black president died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (credit:AP)
(04 of18)
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Pedestrians pass beneath the Apollo Theatre marquee commemorating the life of South African leader Nelson Mandela, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. South Africa's first black president died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (credit:AP)
(05 of18)
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A newspaper vendor organizes his stock all bearing South African leader Nelson Mandela's likeness on their covers, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, in New York. South Africa's first black president died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (credit:AP)
(06 of18)
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A subway rider reads a newspaper featuring news of the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, in New York. South Africa's first black president died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (credit:AP)
(07 of18)
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A newspaper featuring news of the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela is for sale at a breakfast cart, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, in New York. South Africa's first black president died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (credit:AP)
(08 of18)
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Supporters of Nelson Mandela celebrate the South African leader outside a South African restaurant Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Mandela died Thursday at age 95. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
(09 of18)
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Supporters of Nelson Mandela celebrate the South African leader outside a South African restaurant Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Mandela died Thursday at age 95. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
(10 of18)
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A picture of South African leader Nelson Mandela is taped to a wall beneath the Apollo Theatre marquee, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. South Africa's first black president died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (credit:AP)
(11 of18)
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Australian native Kate Gilmore, who now resides in New York, lights candles at a makeshift memorial for South African leader Nelson Mandela outside the South African consulate Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013 in New York. Mandela died Thursday at age 95. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
(12 of18)
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An artist who goes by the name "Franco the Great" stands in front of a mural of South African leader Nelson Mandela that he painted in 1995, and later added U.S. President Barack Obama, on 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of New York, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. Mandela, South Africa's first black president, died Thursday after a long illness. He was 95. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (credit:AP)
Nelson Mandela(13 of18)
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A news broadcast and headline ticker in New York's Times Square report the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. Mandela died Thursday at age 95. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
People Around The World React To News Of Nelson Mandela's Death(14 of18)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Patrons watch television news at the Madiba South African restaurant following the announcement of the death of former President Nelson Mandela on December 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York, United States. People the world over mourned the death of the 95 year-old leader, who emancipated South Africa from white rule and served as the country's first black president. South Africans often refered to him by his nickname - Madiba. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
People Around The World React To News Of Nelson Mandela's Death(15 of18)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Patrons eat at the Madiba South African restaurant following the announcement of the death of former President Nelson Mandela on December 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York, United States. People the world over mourned the death of the 95 year-old leader, who emancipated South Africa from white rule and served as the country's first black president. South Africans often refered to him by his nickname - Madiba. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
People Around The World React To News Of Nelson Mandela's Death(16 of18)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: People pass by the Madiba South African restaurant following the announcement of the death of former President Nelson Mandela on December 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York, United States. People the world over mourned the death of the 95 year-old leader, who emancipated South Africa from white rule and served as the country's first black president. South Africans often refered to him by his nickname - Madiba. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
People Around The World React To News Of Nelson Mandela's Death(17 of18)
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NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Patrons eat at the Madiba South African restaurant following the announcement of the death of former President Nelson Mandela on December 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York, United States. People the world over mourned the death of the 95 year-old leader, who emancipated South Africa from white rule and served as the country's first black president. South Africans often refered to him by his nickname - Madiba. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
People Around The World React To News Of Nelson Mandela's Death(18 of18)
Open Image Modal
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: Patrons gather at the Madiba South African restaurant following the announcement of the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela on December 5, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York, United States. People the world over mourned the death of the 95 year-old leader, who emancipated South Africa from white rule and served as the country's first black president. South Africans often refered to him by his nickname - Madiba. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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