1 | Ta-Nehisi |
Coates | The writer of the letter. |
| Renisha |
McBride | Shot for seeking help. |
| John |
Crawford | Shot down for browsing in a department store. |
| Tamir |
Rice | A 12 year-old boy who was murdered by men in uniform. |
| Marlene |
Pinnock | Someone's grandmother on the side of a road who was assaulted. |
| Michael |
Brown | An 18 year-old who was fatally shot. |
| Janai |
| Samori's aunt. Ben's wife. |
| Ben |
| Samori's uncle. Janai's husband. |
| Oscar |
| Ta-Nehisi's uncle. |
| David |
| Ta-Nehisi's uncle. |
| Nana Jo |
| Ta-Nehisi's grandmother. |
| Jo Jo |
| Ta-Nehisi's cousin from Keon. |
| Nas |
| Ta-Nehisi's classmate. |
| Malcolm |
| The first political pragmatist. |
| |
| The Mecca - The crossroads of the black diaspora. |
| Damani |
| Samori's uncle. Graduated at Howard University. |
| Menelik |
| Samori's uncle. Graduated at Howard University. |
| Kris |
| Samori's aunt. Graduated at Howard University. |
| Kelly |
| Samori's aunt. Graduated at Howard University. |
| Kamilah |
| Samori's aunt. Graduated at Howard University. |
| Chana |
| Samori's aunt. Graduated at Howard University. |
| Charles |
Drew | From Howard University. |
| Amiri |
Baraka | From Howard University. |
| Thurgood |
Marshall | From Howard University. |
| Ossie |
Davis | From Howard University. |
| Doug |
Wilder | From Howard University. |
| David |
Dinkins | From Howard University. |
| Lucille |
Clifton | From Howard University. |
| Toni |
Morrison | From Howard University. |
| Kwame |
Touré | From Howard University. |
| Prince |
Carmen Jones | Doctor Jones's son. aka: Rocky. |
| Samori |
| Ta-Nehisi's son. |
2 | Elmer Clay |
Newman | A man killed by PG County Police. |
| Gary |
Hopkins | Murdered by PG County Police. |
| Fredie |
McCollum | A blind man beaten by PG County Police. |
| Dr. Mable |
Jones | Prince's mother. |
| Jamal |
| Samori's aunt's boyfriend. |
| Christopher |
| Samori's cousin. |
| Jelani |
| Ta-Nehisi's friend. |
3 | Kenyatta |
| Ta-Nehisi's wife. |