Mary Logan: The mother of the Logan children, a schoolteacher who believes that the status quo of racism shouldn’t be accepted. She teaches her students radical material about slavery that isn’t included in their textbooks and also works to support the boycott of the Wallaces' store. She tries to fight against anti-black racism while also protecting her family from harm. Caroline "Big Ma" Logan: The mother of David and Hammer Logan and the paternal grandmother of the Logan children. She is portrayed as a strong and good-natured 60-year-old woman who still works in the fields. Big Ma influenced Cassie by passing on family stories and oral history to her growing up. She helps many people who are sick and those who have been treated badly by white people. She is very religious and has passed her views to Cassie. Hammer Logan: David Logan's older brother and Cassie's uncle. A black veteran of World War I, during which he nearly lost his left leg, he moved to Chicago before the events of the novel to escape Mississippi's virulent racism. He is portrayed as having a hair-trigger temper, which is something a black man "isn't allowed to have" in the Jim Crow South. He provides financial assistance to the rest of the family several times, which they secretly appreciate. Other characters T.J. Avery: A manipulative, foolish teenager who somehow became Stacey's friend, he is disliked by the other Logan children. T.J. is a troublemaker who is responsible for getting Mama fired from her job. At the end of the novel, T.J. is severely beaten by R.W. and Melvin Simms, who break his ribs and later his jaw, and nearly gets lynched for a crime he did not commit. Papa saves him for the time being by setting fire to his own land. Claude Avery: T.J.’s younger brother, who is good friends with his classmate Christopher-John Logan. He is quieter than T.J. but often gets blamed for T.J.’s troublemaking. The Averys: T.J.'s family, including his father, his mother, and his seven younger siblings, four of whom are preschoolers. They are friends with the Logans. Joe Avery: The father of the Avery children, a sharecropper who works on Harlan Granger's land. Fannie Avery: The mother of the Avery children, a maid who works in Harlan Granger's house. The Berrys: A black family that lives in Smellings Creek. They don't often appear in the area,