Ruth McBride, the mother of James and eleven other children.  A Jewish immigrant from Poland, who had a hard life and likes God, work and education. She fill in love with Andrew Dennis McBride and moves to New York. Where she started her own church with her husband. She constantly stressed the value of education and religion to her kids. She was a strong and reluctant person, that at the end every went the right way.

     James McBride, the son of Ruth. A Jewish African American who love jazz, religion and love to write music and literature. Who at fisrt felt sorry and embarrass that his mother was white, but later when he began to mature he accept the fact that she was white. After his stepfather death he began take more responsibility to his family.

Laurie - her mother's eldest sister
Paul Schiffman - Laurie husband
Sam - her older brother>
Zaydeh - her grandfather
Bubeb - her grandmother
Ruchel Dwaira Zylska - the main character's mother
Rachel Deborah Shilsky - the name given to her when she came to America
Fishel Shilsky - her father
Tateh - mean father in Yiddish
Hudis - her mother
Mameb - what the call her mother>
Hunter Jordan - her stepfather who had died
Andrew Mcbride - her biological father
Ricard - her brother
Rev Owens - his minister
Mrs. Mcbride - mother named when she was married to his father
Mrs. Jordan - mother named when she was married to his stepfather
Sister Jordan - what Rev Owen calls his mother
Ruth - is what his godfather calls his motherr
Helen - her sister, church pianist
Rev W. Abner Brown - his father who had died
Rev Edward Belton - a friend of his family
Richie - his older brother>
Billy - his older brother>
Hatt - was what the neighbors called Billy
Deacon Mc Nair - his godfather