(U-WIRE) AUSTIN, Texas - African Americans must use their right to vote to overcome political and social disadvantage, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said in a speech Friday at Huston-Tillotson College.

A theme of broken promises pervaded Jackson's description of the African-American experience during his speech about affirmative action.

"What is the American promise? Protection under the law," Jackson said. "Here we stand in savage inequality, but we will not let you break our spirit. We will not let go of the promise."

The speech concluded his two-day visit to Austin, which included three voting rallies at area high schools and a speech at the fifth annual Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce convention.

He stressed the importance of voting and asked those not registered to fill out registration cards on the spot.

"In 2004, we're going to take the South back," Jackson said.

He made references to unjust laws and past mistreatment of blacks, including slavery and the fight for civil rights.

Jackson is founder and president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, a civil rights organization he hopes will soon form a Texas chapter.

University of Texas-Austin social work junior Roderick Bivins, who attended the speech, said he is working to form a Rainbow/PUSH Coalition chapter at the University. Bivins is a Black Student Alliance delegate and a member of the Student African-American Brotherhood.

"It was a much-needed speech," Bivins said. "I wish more people from UT were here."

Bob Ziemann, a student in Huston Tillotson's alternative teaching program, said he appreciated Jackson's speech.

"He brought historical meaning about why affirmative action is important now," Ziemann said.

John Baines, vice chairman of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce, who also attended the speech, said affirmative action exists because "freedom and justice for all" isn't a reality in the United States.

"When you have an underutilized population, and that population is challenged to rise to the top, that group doesn't have the chance to achieve," he said.

Baines said there should be more wealth in the African-American community.

"We don't have a lot of opportunity to participate in high commerce," he said. "When those doors are removed, we will have achieved Dr. King's dream."

— Megan Jacob