Final answer:
African Americans faced significant discrimination and inequality during the Progressive Era, despite the era's focus on democracy and social justice. Progress, such as the establishment of schools, was overshadowed by Jim Crow laws and oppression. The NAACP was among the few progressive organizations actively addressing these race relations issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
American Americans Struggle for Equality During the Progressive Era
The conclusion that can be drawn from the passage about African Americans struggle for equality during the Progressive Era indicates that despite the motives of social justice and democracy, there were significant disparities in how African Americans were treated in terms of their civil rights and economic opportunities. African Americans during this era identified an agenda to achieve these rights, but faced challenges such as discrimination, disfranchisement, segregation, and racial violence, particularly in the South. While some progress was made through the establishment of public schools and colleges for African Americans, Jim Crow laws, lynchings, and disfranchisement perpetuated oppression.
Furthermore, the passage refers to the NAACP, highlighting that only a minority of Progressives took the initiative to address the worsening race relations. The institutional racial inequalities and discrimination continued to impede African American progress, which is a legacy that necessitated continued struggle and activism well into and beyond the mid-20th century.