Mintah - A young female slave taken from a Danish mission, 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 rouse the remaining captives to rebel against the killings. Mintah's story, both before being thrown overboard and afterwards, forms the novel's core.

Captain Cunningham - The captain of the slave ship Zong, he orders his crew to seize the sick slaves 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 a unsavory past known to Mintah. It is Kelsal's knowledge of Mintah's knowledge of his past that prompts him to initially order her overboard.

The Crew Members - The crew of the Zong face the moral weight of the atrocity committed on the ship, as their accounts are contradicted by Mintah's journal.

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