Chapter 17 Section 5 Critical Thinking #4

Chapter 17 Section 5 Critical Thinking #4


4) Why do you think Wilson failed to push for equality for African Americans, despite his progressive reforms?

-progressive presidents before Wilson
-Wilson’s background
-the primary group of people progressive reforms targeted

Wilson failed to push for equality among African-Americans despite his progressive reforms for many reasons. The progressive presidents before Wilson, Taft and Roosevelt, didn’t set much of a precedent. Both retreated on their promises to make America equal and to help the civil rights cause after they were elected (p.541). Roosevelt did make a little progress; when residents of a town in Mississippi refused to accept a black postmistress, he closed the station rather than give in, and he appointed an African American as the head of a Charleston, N.C., customhouse. However, he also dismissed a whole regiment of African American soldiers accused of harboring others charged with murder in Brownsville, Texas (p. 530). Wilson’s background also didn’t give him incentive to do anything to help the civil rights case. He was from the South, and to him, racism and discrimination were the norm. When he was in office, he would please Southern Democrats and disappoint black and white Northerners. Furthermore, his cabinet was composed entirely of Southerners, who extended segregation (p. 542). There were hardly any people who were pushing for civil rights in the South. Progressive reforms targeted African Americans as supporters, and liberal whites who were uncommon, certainly in the South, and Wilson was not somebody who would be considered as a potential supporter of the movement.