Samuel is a thirteen-year-old boy living in 1968 Chicago who aspires to be an architect. He frequently builds elaborate block towers in his bedroom to escape the political tensions of his household. As the younger son of a famous civil rights activist, he feels overshadowed by his eloquent father and confident older brother. He struggles with his tendency to freeze during violent encounters and works to define his personal beliefs regarding non-violent protest and armed self-defense.

Steven is Samuel's charismatic older brother who possesses a natural talent for public speaking. Despite his upbringing in a strictly non-violent household, he hides Black Panther Party literature under his bed and questions his father's methods. He actively participates in community programs like free breakfasts while attempting to shield his younger brother from the dangerous realities of his political involvement.

Roland is a prominent civil rights activist and a close colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He commands respect within his community and possesses a powerful, preacher-like presence. He strictly demands adherence to non-violent, passive resistance, causing friction with younger activists and his own eldest son who favor direct action.

Maxie is a confident, driven schoolmate of Samuel who lives in the local projects with her brother and mother. She involves herself in the Black Panther Party's breakfast programs and introduces Samuel to community organizing. Her daily experiences with poverty and systemic racism challenge Samuel to recognize his own class privileges.

Clarence is a cheerful teenager who dropped out of school to work full-time at an auto shop to support his mother and sister. Following the death of his father at the hands of prison guards, he frequently seeks refuge in the Childs household. His violent arrest by police officers serves as a primary catalyst for political action within the community.

Marjorie is the mother of Samuel and Steven. She provides a stabilizing presence in the Childs household and supports her husband's civil rights work. She worries deeply about the safety of her family, enforcing household rules and trying to manage the growing ideological rift between her husband and her oldest son.

Raheem is Maxie's older brother and an active participant in the Black Panther Party. He focuses on protecting his neighborhood from police overreach and ensuring community survival. He acts as a mentor figure to younger residents and demonstrates a pragmatic view of the struggles faced by people living in the projects.

Leroy is a leader within the local Black Panther organization. He coordinates practical community initiatives, such as political education classes and the free breakfast program. He encourages local youth to take responsibility for their own actions and provides an alternative philosophical framework to Roland Childs's non-violent teachings.

Fred is a local associate of Roland Childs. He assists with monitoring police activity and organizing community responses, bringing urgent news directly to the activists' homes when law enforcement targets members of the neighborhood.

Leon works alongside Fred and Roland Childs in the peaceful resistance movement. He helps mobilize responses to police actions and participates in organizing demonstrations aimed at supporting unjustly targeted community members.

Charlie is a local neighborhood man who is stopped and harassed by law enforcement. The armed intervention of the Black Panthers on his behalf prevents his arrest and demonstrates to Samuel the immediate effectiveness of self-defense tactics.

Lester is an active member of the local Black Panther Party. He rides with Leroy and Raheem to patrol the neighborhood, using the visible presence of firearms to deter police harassment of local residents.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a national civil rights leader and a close colleague of Roland Childs. As the figurehead of the passive resistance movement, his ideology shapes the Childs household, and his public work deeply impacts the lives of everyone in the community.

Coretta Scott King is the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She maintains personal connections with the families of other prominent civil rights leaders, offering support and solidarity during times of crisis.

Reverend Downe is the spiritual leader of the church the Childs family attends. He fields questions from the congregation about political demonstrations and provides a communal space for residents to gather during times of mourning and unrest.