Allen is a formerly enslaved person, minister, and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church living in 1793 Philadelphia. As a leader in the city's free Black community, he selflessly answers the call to aid the sick and assist with autopsies during the yellow fever epidemic. Despite his dedication, he struggles with the hypocrisy of the city, recognizing that the society he serves continually marginalizes and falsely blames his people for the disease.

Dr. Benjamin Rush is a prominent figure in American medical science who attempts to manage the 1793 epidemic. He operates under the false, prejudiced theory that people of African descent are immune to the fever, using this belief to recruit Black citizens for dangerous medical duties. Dispassionate and fiercely analytical, he views the afflicted more as scientific subjects to be measured than as suffering humans.

Master Abraham is a Jewish merchant from Europe who falls ill during the epidemic. Drawing on his own experiences with antisemitism and societal scapegoating in Europe, he profoundly understands Allen's marginalization in Philadelphia. He offers a cynical perspective on human suffering and advises Allen to prioritize his own family over a city that does not value him.

Mayor Wilson Goode is the contemporary mayor of Philadelphia who orders the 1985 bombing of a row home on Osage Avenue. His inclusion in the narrative bridges the gap between the 1793 epidemic and modern times. He represents the ongoing institutional disregard for Black life, publicly minimizing the significance of state-sponsored violence.

Matthew Carey is the official historical chronicler of the 1793 yellow fever outbreak. He authors a widely accepted account of the crisis that falsely accuses the city's Black population of causing the epidemic and behaving selfishly. His document stands as a primary example of how authorities produce false histories to protect their own biases.

Absolam Jones is a fellow leader in Philadelphia's free Black community during the epidemic. He works closely with Allen to counteract the slanderous narratives spread by white authorities. Together, they author a pamphlet to document the true courage and sacrifices of the Black nurses and undertakers who saved the city.

Wilcox is an African American gravedigger tasked with the grueling and dangerous work of managing the deceased during the height of the fever. His physical labor exposes him to horrific, unsanitary conditions that clearly illustrate the burden placed upon the Black community. He endures immense trauma while performing an essential service for a city that offers him little respect.