Hannah Crafts: Hannah is the main character of the story, born as a slave in the Carolinas. Hannah runs away with her mistress to prevent the mistress' true identity being exposed to the master of the household, and the majority of the book is centered on Hannah's experiences as a runaway slave.

The Mistress: The mistress becomes the wife of Hannah's master. Mr, Trappe, the mistress "guardian", soon threatens to expose the mistress as the black woman she actually is, and to prevent her being sold into slavery, she runs away with hannah.

Mr. Trappe: Mr. Trappe is an old slave trader with black eyes, who never smiles. He moves into the master's house when the mistress is married to him and tornments the mistress all the while until she and hannah run away. Later, the three meet again.

Aunt Hetty: Aunt Hetty is an old white woman who lived down the road from hannah's master's house when she was a child. Aunt Hetty and Uncle Siah teach Hannah to read. Aunt Hetty too re-emerges in the story later.