- Kunta Kinte – original protagonist: a young man of the Mandinka people, grows up in The Gambia in a small village called Juffure; he was raised as a Muslim before being captured and enslaved. Renamed Toby.
- John Waller – planter, who buys Kunta
- Dr. William Waller – doctor of medicine and John's brother: buys Kunta from him
- Bell Waller – cook to the doctor and wife of Kunta
- Kizzy Waller (later Kizzy Lea) – daughter of Kunta and Bell
- Missy Anne – Dr. Waller's niece, who lives off the plantation, but visits Dr Waller regularly. She befriends Kizzy and teaches her reading and writing by playing "school".
- Tom Lea – slave owner in North Carolina to whom Kizzy is sold
- George Lea – son to Kizzy and Tom Lea, he is called "Chicken George"
- Matilda – whom George later marries
- Tom Murray – son of Chicken George and Matilda
- Cynthia – the youngest of Tom's and Irene's eight children (granddaughter of Chicken George)
- Bertha – one of Cynthia's children; the mother of Alex Haley
- Simon Alexander Haley – professor and husband of Bertha; father of Alex Haley
- Alex Haley – author of the book and central character for last 30 pages; the great-great-great-great-grandson of Kunta Kinte.
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