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This article aims at discussing the death of Nelson Mandela, looking at the reconstruction of his biography by different media narratives. The goal is to perceive not only how the life of the South-African leader is built by the event that marks its end, but also how such event is mobilized in the emergence of some public issues in Brazil. In order to do so, the paper discusses the concept of event, highlighting the power it has to affect society and its hermeneutic power. It, then, discusses death as an event which fosters the reconstruction of public persons' biographies and analyzes the death of Mandela. The analysis shows the strength of this public person through the values attached to him (such as equality and justice). It also sheds light on the way racism was built as a public problem in Brazil in the context of the reconstruction of this biography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]