Nelson Mandela, the iconic political leader in South Africa who fought against the country's system of racial segregation, is beloved by activists, peacemakers, and justice-seekers around the world.
He was born in 1918 in the village of Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Mandela attended primary school in Qunu, and then went to Healdtown, a Wesleyan college. In 1939, he began studying law at the University of Witwatersrand.
During his time at university, Mandela became involved in politics and joined the African National Congress (ANC), a political party that fought for the rights of black South Africans.
In 1948, the Apartheid government came to power and began implementing a system of racial segregation. This system discriminated against black people in every area of life, from education and housing to employment and even where they were allowed to walk.
Mandela became one of the ANC’s leaders in the fight against Apartheid. In 1961, he helped establish the military wing of the ANC, which carried out acts of sabotage against government targets in an effort to stop the implementation of Apartheid.
In 1962, Mandela was arrested and sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in these activities.
He spent the next 27 years in prison, during which time he became a symbol of the struggle against Apartheid. In 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison and began negotiations with the South African government. These negotiations led to the first free elections in South Africa in 1994, in which Mandela was elected as the country's first black president.
During his presidency, Mandela worked to heal the divisions within South Africa and promote reconciliation between the different racial groups. He also helped establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which aimed to provide a way for victims of Apartheid to tell their stories and for perpetrators to ask for forgiveness. Nelson Mandela stepped down as president in 1999, but continued to work for peace and human rights until his death in 2013.
Nelson Mandela was an inspirational figure who fought for the rights of all people, regardless of race. His legacy continues to inspire people around the world to stand up for what is right. Every year, Mandela Day is celebrated on July 18th.
We’ve collected his most meaningful and inspirational quotes. May they leave you feeling energized and empowered to make a difference in your community.
The Best Nelson Mandela Quotes To Leave You Inspired To Make an Impact —
Famous Quotes
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
— Nelson Mandela
“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
— Nelson Mandela
“It is in your hands, to make a better world for all who live in it.”
— Nelson Mandela
“A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice.”
— Nelson Mandela
Related: Read the best quotes about poverty & the best quotes about justice
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.”
— Nelson Mandela
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
— Nelson Mandela
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”
— Nelson Mandela
On leadership
“Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.”
— Nelson Mandela
“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.”
— Nelson Mandela
“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”
— Nelson Mandela
“A leader… is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Sometimes, it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.”
— Nelson Mandela
On education
“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.”
— Nelson Mandela
“The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation.”
— Nelson Mandela
“If there is one appeal I could make, it is that young people must take it upon themselves to ensure that they receive the highest education possible so that they can represent us well in future as future leaders.”
— Nelson Mandela
“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.”
— Nelson Mandela
On freedom
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
— Nelson Mandela
“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will.”
— Nelson Mandela
“I have never cared very much for personal prizes. A person does not become a freedom fighter in the hope of winning awards.”
— Nelson Mandela
“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires”
— Nelson Mandela
“No single person can liberate a country. You can only liberate a country if you act as a collective.”
— Nelson Mandela
On forgiveness
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
— Nelson Mandela
“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.”
— Nelson Mandela
“You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.”
— Nelson Mandela
“If you can find it in yourself to forgive then you are no longer chained to the perpetrator. You can move on, and you can even help the perpetrator to become a better person too.”
—Nelson Mandela
On life
“There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
— Nelson Mandela
“I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles.”
— Nelson Mandela
“It is in the character of growth that we should learn from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.”
— Nelson Mandela
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.”
— Nelson Mandela
→ Read more quotes about life
Inspirational quotes
“One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.”
— Nelson Mandela
“It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
— Nelson Mandela
“I never lose. I either win or learn.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
— Nelson Mandela
“It is not where you start but how high you aim that matters for success.”
— Nelson Mandela
Related: Read more positive quotes
On change
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
— Nelson Mandela
“One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.”
— Nelson Mandela
Related: Read the best quotes about activism
On love
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
— Nelson Mandela
“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”
— Nelson Mandela
“The path of those who preach love, and not hatred, is not easy. They often have to wear a crown of thorns.”
— Nelson Mandela
Short quotes
“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Appearances matter — and remember to smile.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Nothing is black or white.”
— Nelson Mandela
“Quitting is leading too.”
— Nelson Mandela
More motivational quotes for #MandelaDay and every day
“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”
— Nelson Mandela
Related: Read the best quotes about optimism
“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs.”
— Nelson Mandela
“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”
— Nelson Mandela
“A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favor. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.”
— Nelson Mandela
“There is a universal respect and even admiration for those who are humble and simple by nature, and who have absolute confidence in all human beings irrespective of their social status.”
— Nelson Mandela
“It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not.”
— Nelson Mandela
