1st Man
The speaker identified as 1st Man is described as ‘‘Prayer—husband of Dademi.’’ He is heard onstage as one of the Africans imprisoned in the hold of the slave ship. He can be heard praying to an African god through his misery.

1st Woman
The speaker identified as 1st Woman is described as "Prayer.'' She is heard onstage as one of the Africans imprisoned in the slave ship. She is heard praying to an African god in her misery.

2nd Man
The speaker identified as 2nd Man is described as "Curser." He is heard onstage as one of the Africans imprisoned in the hold of the slave ship. He curses the disembodied voices of the White Men for their abuse of the Africans.

2nd Woman
The speaker identified as 2nd Woman is described as "Screamer—attacked.'' She is one of the Africans imprisoned in the hold of the slave ship. Her voice is heard onstage as the woman who is raped by one of the white sailors on the slave ship.

3rd Man
The speaker identified as the 3rd Man is described as "Straggler." He is heard onstage as one of the Africans imprisoned in the slave ship He attempts to fend off the white man who rapes one of the African women.

3rd Woman
The speaker identified as 3rd Woman is described as ‘‘with child.’’ She is one of the Africans imprisoned in the hold of the slave ship. Her voice can be heard onstage as the other enslaved Africans note that she has killed her baby and herself while on the ship. Later in the play, during the plantation scene and the revolt scene, her voice can be heard, as the stage directions indicate, ‘‘whispering after death.’’

New Tom
The character identified as New Tom is the preacher who attempts to talk in a dignified fashion to the white man and preaches assimilation to his fellow African Americans. In the final moments of the play, the severed head of the preacher is thrown amidst the dancing and "party" atmosphere in celebration of the revolt. Some critics have pointed out that this character seems to represent the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., known for his advocacy of the harmonious integration of whites and blacks in America. Baraka's black nationalist sentiments, as expressed through this play, are critical of the integrationist approach represented by Martin Luther King.

Old Tom Slave
The character identified as Old Tom Slave appears in the segment of the play that is set on a plantation. He represents the enslaved African Americans who kowtowed to white authority in acts of self-degradation for the purpose of gaining favor. The Old Tom Slave betrays his fellow African Americans when he reports to the white plantation owners that a revolt is being planned. He betrays his African-American community in exchange for a couple of pork chops which are thrown to him by the White Men.

White Men
The White Men are presented sometimes as disembodied voices, but at other points are actually seen onstage. In the first part of the play, they appear in sailor uniforms, and represent the white sailors on the slave ship. In the next part of the play, the stage directions indicate that these same white actors are now seen with hats that indicate that they are plantation owners.