Wilson failed to push for equality for African Americans despite his progressive reforms because of his backround (which affected his personality) and the primary group of people the reforms targeted.
Wilson grew up in a strict household in the South during the Civil War and Reconsrudtion (p.539), so he was accostumed to the southern view of blacks and probably had a pretty weakened resolve to help them. He was also a person who could be very uncertain in his support, such as when he "cautiously supported suffrage" (p.538).
Progressive reforms targeted the big businesses and governments and such that had a hold on the people and were creating "unfair" conditions for individual people. By making reforms of/to these things, the people would (in most cases) obtain more rights. Wilson was very obsessed with breaking down trusts and their power (i.e. by taxes) that were "strangling" the "free market"... Since Wilson focused so much on these economic reforms, he was less strong in his push for African American equality.
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