Elwood Curtis
Elwood Curtis, the protagonist of the novel, is a young black boy from Tallahassee, Florida. He was raised by his grandmother, Harriet, after his mother and father abandoned him at a young age. Although he is academically gifted, he is unable to pursue his education after being unjustly arrested due to racial prejudice and being taken to Nickel Academy. Elwood exhibits a passion for justice from a young age after being surrounded by racism and inequality. He counts Martin Luther King Jr. as one of his idols. His idealism and devotion to doing what's "right" sets him apart from the rest of the boys at Nickel Academy and also makes him a target for the school administration's violent oppression.
Jack Turner
Known simply as "Turner," Jack Turner is a young man whom Elwood befriends at Nickel Academy. He has little faith in the execution of justice, and instead maintains that all men are inherently cruel and senseless. Turner attended Nickel Academy twice after being arrested for throwing a brick through a white man's car window while working at a bowling alley. Like Elwood, he experienced intense racism throughout his life—experiences that pushed him to become jaded and angry. Turner takes on Elwood's identity after Elwood is shot while the two try to escape Nickel Academy.
Harriet
Harriet is Elwood's grandmother. She generally holds conservative views about racial injustice, preferring to not react and accept the unfair treatment she faces at work and in society. She attempts to teach Elwood to do the same, urging him not to go to civil rights protests and stay away from befriending certain boys in their town who she believes are too radical. She cares for Elwood immensely.
Desmond
Desmond is one of the students at Nickel Academy who becomes Elwood's friend. He first shows Elwood around Nickel and introduces him to Jaimie and Turner, who also become close friends of Elwood's.
Jaimie
Jaimie, along with Desmond and Turner, is another one of Elwood's few friends at Nickel. He poisons Earl with what the boys believe is horse medicine. Jaimie is Mexican, which means the administrative staff struggle with deciding whether to count him as a white student or a black student.
Superintendent Spencer
Maynard Spencer, also known as Superintendent Spencer or simply "Spencer," is the superintendent at Nickel Academy. He regularly beats the students in the "Ice Cream Factory"—a shed behind the school—and even goes as far as to kill those who do not bend to Nickel Academy's wishes.
Black Mike, Lonnie
Two of the main antagonists among the boys at Nickel Academy. Elwood attempts to intervene when he sees Black Mike and Lonnie beating another boy, Corey.
Director Hardee
The director of Nickel Academy. He does not frequently interact with the students, staying mainly in the administrative building and away from the day-to-day routines of the school. He participates in gambling on the boxing match and is complicit in many of the corrupt practices at the school.
Harper
Harper works at Nickel Academy and runs "Community Service," where Turner and Elwood accompany him as he re-sells Nickel's government-sanctioned food and supply deliveries for profit. Harper grew up at Nickel Academy because his mother worked as a secretary for the school. Although Harper is white, he is kinder to the boys than other white staff members. However, around the other school administrators, he changes his behavior, becoming more haughty. Harper shoots Elwood when Elwood and Turner attempt to escape.
Mr. Hill
Mr. Hill is one of Elwood's high school teachers. He refers Elwood for a program where Elwood can take literature classes at the local community college. Elwood sees him at a civil rights protest and feels inspired by his teacher's activism.
Blakely
Blakely is the "house father" for Elwood's dorm at Nickel Academy.
Millie
Millie is Elwood's (Turner's) wife. They meet each other in New York and live there throughout their marriage. She is the first to know Elwood's secret identity—the fact that he is really Turner.
