The speaker is a Black individual living in the United States. Societal prejudice forces them into a restricted space, but this marginalization does not break their confidence. Looking through dark eyes, they critically examine their environment and recognize the baseless nature of the prejudice surrounding them. They possess a strong physical and mental awareness, ultimately realizing they have the power to help construct a fairer society.

Oppression operates as a personified force within the speaker's environment. It actively builds walls and fences off narrow spaces to enforce segregation. Despite its imposing presence and its ability to assign people to marginalized spaces, its constructs lack a rational foundation.

Langston is a Black poet and essayist associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Raised primarily in the Midwest by his grandmother and mother, he finds early refuge in books. He develops into a confident artist who travels globally and uses his writing to address the struggles of Black people in early 20th-century America.

The comrades are the allies and sympathetic listeners the speaker invites to join their cause. Their presence implies a need for collective action and community effort to physically dismantle racist structures. They represent the workforce required to transition the speaker's vision of a just society from a mental concept into a tangible reality.

Carrie is a woman who aspires to be a performer but faces the restrictive racist and sexist norms of the 19th century. After her husband moves to Mexico, she leaves her son with her mother before eventually remarrying and moving around the Midwest.

James is Langston's father. Shortly after his son's birth, he relocates to Mexico City. His relationship with his son is strained, characterized by arguments during Langston's visits to Mexico.

Mary is Carrie's mother and Langston's grandmother. She lives in Lawrence, Kansas, where she struggles financially. She finds it difficult to pay the mortgage and provide enough food for her grandson.

Carl is an influential figure in the 1920s New York literary scene. He plays a practical role in advancing Langston's career by connecting him with the publisher Alfred A. Knopf.

McCarthy leads a subcommittee investigating alleged communist activity in the United States. His aggressive pursuit of political targets creates a climate of fear that pressures artists to publicly disavow radical political ties.