Jackson marks keynote's 25th anniversary

— -- Marking the 25th anniversary of a rousing keynote address to the 1984 Democratic National Convention, the Rev. Jesse Jackson called for more targeted programs to help the working poor go to college and buy and keep their homes.

Jackson says the federal government should create a targeted stimulus plan that would include capping interest rates on loans to low-income homeowners at 6% and offering students zero-interest loans so they can go to college.

"Banks make money on excessive rates on student loans and loans to homeowners," he says. "But giving stimulus money to banks is like watering the leaves. What about watering the roots?"

In the 25 years since his speech at the convention, where he committed his memorable presidential campaign to expanding voting rights for minorities and ending drug violence in cities, Jackson says there has been much progress, but still more needs to be done.

He pointed to disparities between whites and blacks, in which blacks have higher rates of infant mortality, unemployment and incarceration.

"We are free, but not equal," he says. "The struggle continues."

One of his major concerns is lifting the barriers that make it difficult for people to vote. He says at least six states, for example, deny people who have served prison time the right to vote after their release.

On Thursday, Jackson celebrated the anniversary in New York City where he listened to President Obama speak to the NAACP at its national convention. The famed civil rights organization marks its 100th anniversary this year.

He says the election of the nation's first black president "was a culmination of our work."

The 1984 campaign led to the creation of the Rainbow Coalition, Jackson's civil rights organization. Jackson won 5 primaries and cuacuses, 3.5 million votes and 18% of the total primary vote during that election. His campaign received with 384.5 convention votes.