The yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling has officially begun.

Keynote speaker Roger Wilkins addressed a crowd of 300 people Wednesday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Wilkins is the author of two books, has written for the Washington Post, USA Today and the New York Times, and was cited by the Pulitzer Prize committee in 1972 for his Watergate coverage. The 71-year-old served as assistant attorney general under President Lyndon B. Johnson and participated in the Civil Rights movement.

He is currently a member of the U.S. 50th Anniversary Commission on Brown v. Board of Education and a professor of history and American culture at George Mason University.

Wilkins said he believes the Brown v. Board of Education ruling to end segregation in schools was one of the most important decisions of the century and should be celebrated.

“We should see [the ruling] not as an end, but as a major step in the long American journey toward justice,” Wilkins said.

Clarissa Taylor, sophomore in communication studies and member of the Black Student Alliance, said she knows the importance of the historical ruling.

“This was a really big case because it was in the middle of rural America,” Taylor said. “When this happened it was widely known and everybody [felt like] ‘This is our chance, this is our time to shine and so I’m going to take part of it.'”

Taylor said she thinks it’s important to attend speeches to truly understand our history.

“The more people I get to hear talk about [this issue], the better perspective I feel I should get,” Taylor said.

Wilkins’ speech focused on the need for parents to teach their children about the importance of education.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy emphasized the significance of a diverse education.

“It’s our responsibility to provide an education and a learning experience that broadens, not narrows [students’] minds,” Geoffroy said.

Taylor said people need to be reminded of the past so as not to repeat their mistakes.

“We need to not forget about this important ruling,” Taylor said. “If we forget about the past we’re doomed to repeat it.”