Rannie Toomer

A young, unmarried black girl. She is not pretty or smart and her baby is all she has in the world. Rannie has faith that her white mailman will send the white doctor to help her sick baby. She has faith in white medicine and no faith in Sarah's black magic or home remedies, but she changes her mind when she realizes the doctor is not coming, and believes wholeheartedly that Sarah's methods can save her baby, because she is desperate for her baby to live.

Sarah

An old neighbor lady with the reputation of knowing how magic came about and of performing magic herself. She is well-versed in home remedies to aid people who are sick. She is the nearest thing to a "doctor" that the black community has. Sarah has no faith or trust in white people.

Mailman

A white mailman who ignores Rannie's pleas for him to fetch a white doctor, because he finds her ignorant and repulsive. He represents the white attitude of disdain for the black community.

Baby Snooks

Rannie's gravely ill baby suffering from double pneumonia and whooping cough who ends up dying from his illness.