Mintah - A young female slave taken from a Danish mission station, Mintah is the central character. After being thrown overboard from the slave ship Zong, she is able to climb back onto the ship and hides, attempting to persuade the remaining captives to resist the killings. Mintah's story, both before being thrown overboard and afterwards, forms the core of the novel.

Captain Cunningham - The captain of the slave ship Zong orders his crew to seize the sick enslaved people and throw them into the sea when illness threatens to infect all on board.

First Mate Kelsal - The first mate of the Zong, Kelsal has an unsavory past known to Mintah. Knowing that Mintah is aware of his past, Kelsal initially orders her overboard.

The Crew Members - The crew of the Zong face the moral weight of the atrocity committed on the ship, while Mintah’s journal contradicts their accounts.