Quote by: Nelson Mandela

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.


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Author Bio


  • NameNelson Mandela
  • Descriptionformer President of South Africa, anti-apartheid activist
  • AliasesNelson Rolihlahla Mandela; Mandela; Madiba
  • BornJuly 18, 1918
  • DiedDecember 5, 2013
  • CountrySouth Africa
  • ProfessionPolitician; Autobiographer
  • AwardsJawaharlal Nehru Award For International Understanding; Nobel Peace Prize; Honorary Companion Of The Order Of Australia; Grandmaster Of The Order Of Good Hope; Platinum Order Of Mapungubwe; Gold Olympic Order; Order Of Lenin; Princess Of Asturias Award For International Cooperation; Presidential Medal Of Freedom; Order Of The Aztec Eagle; Order Of The Elephant; Order Of The Gold Lion Of The House Of Nassau; Grand Cross Of The National Order Of Mali; Knight Grand Cross Of The Order Of St. Olav?; Royal Order Of The Seraphim; Order Of Prince Yaroslav The Wise; Order Of Merit; Venerable Order Of Saint John; Honorary Canadian Citizenship; Lenin Peace Prize; Sakharov Prize; Honorary Companion Of The Order Of Canada; Order Of Isabella The Catholic; Order Of Augusto César Sandino; Mo Ibrahim Prize For Achievement In African Leadership; Bruno Kreisky Award; Companion Of The Order Of Canada; Order Of St. Olav; United Nations Prize In The Field Of Human Rights; Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize; Order Of Australia; Four Freedoms Award - Freedom Medal; Philadelphia Liberty Medal; Bharat Ratna; Al-Gaddafi International Prize For Human Rights; Giuseppe Motta Medal; Arthur Ashe Courage Award; Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize; Ahimsa Award; Delta Prize For Global Understanding