At-mun (Amos Fortune)
The main character of this biographical novel, At-mun was born a prince of an African village but was captured by slavers and taken across the Atlantic to America to be sold as a slave. Through patience and hard work, he eventually earns enough money to buy his freedom. Through his life, he marries three times, buying each of his wives' freedom before marrying them (the first two women dying within a year of being freed). This is a story about the patience and quiet heroism of Amos Fortune, and it is indeed inspiring.
Ath-mun
Ath-mun is At-mun's sister from his tribal home. She wasn't taken during the slavers' raid, and At-mun never sees her again despite many efforts. In response, he decides to help free women that he can do something about, leading to his liberation of many women from the confines of slavery.
Caleb Copeland
Copeland is the first man to whom At-mun is sold in America. Living in New England, he is a cloth merchant with a good heart, but not so selfless as his wife Celia, who kindly teaches At-mun how to behave in America. Caleb buys him at the wharf, cutting off the bidding, and he agrees to give "Amos" his freedom once he completes a certain contract. Amos likes working for Caleb, but when he dies, however, the contract is rendered void, and Amos is again sold as a slave.
Ichabod Richardson
After Caleb Copeland dies, Richardson buys Amos in the slave auction. He is a kind but stern man who teaches Amos how to be a good tanner, and eventually Amos earns enough money to buy his freedom from Richardson, who has been a good master to him but requires payment in full.
Lily
Lily is Amos's first wife. After he buys his own freedom in his fifties, he sees her and buys her freedom from her owner despite her illness. Lily dies less than a year later, but Amos is glad that he was able to enable her to die a free woman.
Mrs. Richardson
Mrs. Richardson is Ichabod's wife, a kind woman who takes a liking to Amos. She is the one who first suggests to Amos the idea of him opening his own tanning shop, which he does successfully.
Violet
Violet is Amos's third wife, and he buys her freedom along with that of her young daughter, Celyndia. She is grateful to Amos for his action, and she resolves to be as faithful a helper to him as she can despite the age gap between them. She does things to anger him on occasion, such as taking his money when he would have spent it helping another woman, but her advice is solid: he shouldn't abandon his own well-being in his pursuit to help captive women (which he does out of a sense of duty to his sister, whom he was never able to save).
