Final answer:
Theodore Roosevelt and other Progressive presidents were criticized for not vigorously championing racial equality. Progressive efforts were significant in areas of democracy and social justice but often neglected civil rights issues for African Americans, despite the push from factions like the Progressive Party in 1948 advocating for comprehensive equal rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Theodore Roosevelt (T.R.) and other Progressive presidents have been critiqued for not adequately addressing issues of racial equality. Progressives of the era made substantial advances in democracy, efficiency, and social justice, but their grassroots efforts largely ignored the civil rights of African Americans. Racial equality was not a primary part of the Progressive agenda, which was mostly tailored to the interests of middle-class whites. While Roosevelt made some gestures, like inviting Booker T. Washington to the White House, his and successor presidents William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson's records on civil rights were weak. In contrast, Henry A. Wallace's Progressive Party in 1948 unequivocally supported racial equality, helping to differentiate the mainstream Democratic Party from more liberal elements.
Elements like President Wilson's "New Freedom" focused on battling the "triple wall of privilege" – tariffs, trusts, and high finance – rather than on dismantling racial injustices. Although the Progressive Party set the tone for the political campaigns in the early 20th century, pushing for broad political and social reforms, their limited success in promoting racial equality highlighted the movement's inconsistent commitment to social justice for all.