Terrence Roberts, one of the Little Rock Nine, shared his "frightening and frustrating, but important" experiences of racial discrimination and segregation.
Ball State University students, faculty and staff filled Pruis Hall seats to the top rows Tuesday.
Derick Virgil, director of the Multicultural Center, called the audience a "kaleidoscope of colors."
Roberts' lecture was part of a week of events celebrating the work of Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
He spoke about the important of education and improvement of human relations in America.
"We need to learn the truth about who we really are as a society," Roberts said. "We need to ask ourselves the hard questions of 'Do we support the status quo?' and 'Are we willing to change?'"
The Little Rock Nine were the first black students to attend a previously all-white high school in Little Rock, Ark., Roberts said. During their days at the school, they were tormented and discriminated against because of their race, he said.
"That was a traumatic year," he said. "I was shocked at the intensity of Little Rock community members' opposition to my being there."
Roberts shared stories of being beaten and harassed by his fellow students and said he often feared for his life.
"I wondered if I would make it out alive." he said. "There were several days when I said to myself, 'Terry Roberts, this is going to be the end of you.'"
The high schools were shut down to prevent further integration, and after one year at Little Rock Central High School, Roberts and his classmates were forced to seek education elsewhere, he said.
Roberts earned degrees in sociology and psychology from the University of California, California State University and Southern Illinois University.
Although progress has been made, equality has not yet been achieved, Roberts said.
"We haven't come that far," he said. "It's only been 54 years since the Supreme Court decided segregation should be illegal. We have a lot of work to do still."
Junior library media major Kristen Hix said Roberts' lecture made her think she could help make changes in human relations.
"He gave me a lot to think about," she said. "His lecture was interesting and powerful because he was able to give a firsthand account of what happened."
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