Patricia Stephens Due
Patricia is a college student in the 1940s when racial oppression comes to a head in the south, particularly in Florida. As the co-narrator, her story seems to take precedence over Tananarive's because she lays the groundwork for her daughter's later accomplishments. Patricia is appalled by the racism and hatred to which she's subject everyday, so she faithfully participates in challenging the status quo, even at personal risk. She remains politically active for the majority of her life, even becoming engaged to a white man at some point.
Tananarive Due
Patricia's daughter, Tananarive, is the co-narrator of the book, her story appearing alongside her mother's. Her experience differs from her mother's, however, because she's raised hearing about the daring actions of the civil rights era but without a reference point for those people's accomplishments. In her daily life, the problems of her parents seem far distant, especially since she's attending a middle-class school which is largely privileged and composed of white students. In college, she engages politically with her black colleagues, but most of her friends are still white. Her primary conflict in life is internally as she attempts to reconcile her ethnic heritage with the reality of her daily experience which is far from perfect but certainly more privileged than her parents' at the same age.
John Due
He is a civil rights attorney in Florida. After he and Patricia meet, they immediately pursue one another. He's a politically active and intelligent man who, alongside his wife, earns a respectable and successful life for his family.
