Nat is a literate, highly observant enslaved man in Virginia awaiting execution for leading a slave rebellion. He possesses a vivid imagination and a deep connection to nature, which he uses to interpret religious signs. His profound sense of spiritual isolation during his final days drives him to recount his life story.

Hark is a strong, 250-pound enslaved man who works alongside Nat. He harbors deep anger after slaveholders separate him from his mother, sisters, wife, and child. He often masks this pain with a humorous and pragmatic outward demeanor, acting docile to deceive white overseers.

Thomas Gray is a lawyer who visits Nat's prison cell to record his official confession. He seeks to impose order and logic onto the rebellion. He wants to reassure the white public about the stability of the slave system, regularly threatening Nat and dismissing his religious motivations.

A melancholic, heavy-drinking judge who visits the Travis farm. He engages Nat in an unusual conversation, showing a surprising awareness of Nat's intelligence and internal life. He ultimately presides over Nat's trial and hands down his death sentence.

The young, beautiful daughter of a local preacher. She displays a progressive and piteous attitude toward enslaved people. Her sympathy for animals and marginalized people triggers intense and conflicted feelings within Nat, mixing physical desire with deep resentment.

A wheelmaker and Nat's final master. He provides a relatively benevolent environment for the people he enslaves. He allows Nat free time and access to the woods, unaware that Nat uses this isolation to formulate his violent plans.

The progressive brother of Benjamin Turner. He takes a personal interest in Nat's education, teaching him to read and practice religion. He plans for Nat's eventual emancipation, though mounting farm debts force him to abandon his promises.

A beautiful cousin of the Turner family who returns from Baltimore after a lover rejects her. She initially appears purely saintly to the young Nat. This perception shatters completely after he overhears her engaging in a sexual encounter in the dark.

Samuel's irreverent and cruel brother. Nat is born on his property. He publicly dismisses his brother's progressive ideas about educating enslaved people, loudly declaring his belief that they lack human intelligence.

A devout enslaved man who loses his hearing permanently due to a childhood blow from an overseer. He serves an unexpectedly kind master but harbors enough internal fury to join Nat's inner circle.

A deeply religious enslaved man who projects unconquerable patience. He hides intense inner fury born from enduring many cruel masters. He brings a calming but lethal presence to Nat's inner circle.

A young, muscular enslaved man owned by Nathaniel Francis. He holds great respect within the local black community and frequently attempts to run away. He leverages his influence to persuade others to join Nat's cause.

An enslaved man driven to frantic anger by the extreme cruelty of his owner, Nathaniel Francis. He wants revenge against all white people. His uncontrollable rage and desire for violence introduce chaos into Nat's carefully structured plans.

Nat's mother, a house servant whose own mother arrived in America from the Gold Coast. She raises Nat in the main house away from the field laborers. Her rape at the hands of the overseer McBride leaves a lasting, traumatic mark on Nat's memory.

An enslaved teenager on Samuel Turner's property. He replaces Nat in the carpentry shop. He shares a close, physically intimate relationship with Nat before Samuel secretly sells him to slave traders.

A Baptist minister who temporarily acquires Nat. He runs a poor, uneducated household. He subjects Nat to an unwanted sexual advance during a wagon ride and subsequently works him to the point of exhaustion.

A small farmer who purchases Nat from Reverend Eppes. He treats his enslaved workers cruelly and whips Nat for simply stating he is hungry. He frequently lends out Nat's carpentry skills to other white men in the area.

Thomas Moore's widow who later marries Joseph Travis. She cooks hearty meals for the enslaved laborers and helps run the household alongside her new husband.

Thomas Moore's son. He inherits Nat upon his father's death before coming of age. He harbors bitterness toward Hark and frequently finds reasons to punish him severely.

Miss Sarah's brother. He is notoriously ruthless toward the people he enslaves, frequently forcing them into brutal physical combat for the entertainment of poor whites.