MLK Slept in Gandhi’s Room — and What It Meant
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A story about audacity and MLK — Gandhi, a bold request, and what it means today
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Audacity and MLK come together in this quiet story about a bold request, a spinning wheel, and what it means today. In 1959, Martin Luther King, Jr., visited the two-story building in Mumbai (then Bombay) that had served as Mahatma Gandhi’s home and headquarters during the struggle for Indian independence. This room had been preserved, and from behind a partition, visitors could see that it’s mostly empty but for a sleeping mat, spinning wheels, and a few objects.
King went to the building as part of a trip to India to learn more about Gandhian principles. His visit to that room is described in CounterPunch by historian Vijay Prashad:
He was moved by the space where Gandhi sat, now cordoned off from the public. King wanted to go and sit in the room, among Gandhi’s remaining objects. The Museum’s curator was hesitant, but could not refuse a State guest. King meditated on the floor, where Gandhi once did. Hours went by. The curator asked King’s companions when they planned to leave, since he had to close the Bhavan. King asked if he could stay the night, by himself, and sleep where Gandhi had slept. The curator, once more, had to allow his guest this privilege. King did so, to the discomfort of his friends.
This moment captures the audacity of MLK, a willingness to step beyond convention in service of a deeper purpose. The next morning, King wrote in the guest book, “To have the opportunity of sleeping in the house where Gandhiji slept is an experience that I will never forget.”
King’s bold request took his experience of Gandhi’s room to a different level. This same boldness showed up in his dreams for the world and in how he fought for his vision. “I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.”
This story is one of several in our new Cosmorock portal:
It brings together videos, stories, and a step-by-step guide for how to become more daring and visionary in your life and work. Whether you’re taking your first bold step or finding courage again after a setback, this portal is for you.