Starr Carter
The novel’s protagonist, Starr is a sixteen-year-old black teenager who witnesses the shooting of her unarmed friend, Khalil. Starr lives in the primarily black, lower-class neighborhood of Garden Heights but attends Williamson Prep, a…
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Khalil Harris
Starr’s childhood best friend, Khalil is a teenager from Garden Heights who is shot and killed by One-Fifteen, a white police officer, during a traffic stop. Dismissed by many in the media as…
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Maverick Carter
Starr’s father, Lisa’s husband, and a former felon, Maverick was essentially born into a life of crime. His father was one of the biggest drug dealers in Garden Heights, but Maverick decided to…
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Lisa Carter
Mother to Starr and Sekani, wife to Maverick, and step-mother to Seven, Lisa is a deeply loving and supportive presence in her children’s lives. After becoming pregnant with Starr as a teenager…
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Seven
Starr’s older half-brother, Seven is the son of Maverick and Iesha. He frequently stays at the Carter house, and attends Williamson with Starr and Sekani. Seven is fiercely protective of both Starr…
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Kenya
The daughter of King and Iesha, Kenya is also Seven’s half-sister and one of the few people in Garden Heights with whom Starr has remained close. Starr describes her as being pretty enough…
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Chris
Starr’s boyfriend, Chris is a wealthy white student at Williamson who bonds with Starr over their shared love of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, sneakers, and rap music. Starr attempts to hide her…
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Uncle Carlos
Carlos is Lisa’s older brother and a detective on the same police force as One-Fifteen. A second father figure to Starr, Carlos helped take care of the Carter children while Maverick was…
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DeVante
Devante is a teenager from Garden Heights whose brother is killed at Big D’s party in the beginning of the story. He becomes involved with the King Lords to help support his family, and…
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Hailey Grant
Hailey is Starr’s oldest friend at Williamson, the two having grown close when Hailey’s mother died of cancer around same time that Natasha was killed. Their friendship unravels over the course of the novel…
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Maya Yang
Maya is a close friend of Starr’s at Williamson. She is on the basketball team with Starr and Hailey, and initially tries to keep the peace between the three. An Asian American, Maya…
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King
King is the biggest drug dealer in Garden Heights, a leader of the King Lords, and father to Kenya and Lyric. He is abusive towards both his girlfriend Iesha and his daughters, and reviled…
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Iesha
Seven, Kenya, and Lyric’s mother, and King’s girlfriend. Seven resents Iesha’s lack of maternal support. She is also a sore spot in Starr’s parents’ relationship, as Maverick cheated on Lisa with…
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Sekani Carter
Starr and Seven’s little brother and a frequent source of comic relief. At eight years old, Sekani does not yet understand the nuances and racial tensions of his neighborhood. At the end of the…
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One-Fifteen / Officer Brian Cruise
The white officer who kills Khalil. One-Fifteen thus acts as the overarching antagonist of the book—though he doesn’t appear in person after Khalil’s death—and comes to represent police brutality, systemic racism, and corruption in…
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Mr. Lewis
Mr. Lewis is an older gentleman who owns the barbershop next to Maverick’s store and is a frequent source of annoyance for the latter. Mr. Lewis snitches on King on live television and is…
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Minor Characters
One-Fifteen’s Father
The father of Officer Brian Cruise, who gives a television interview defending his son, justifying Khalil’s shooting by saying his son feared for his life.
Mrs. Rosalie
Mrs. Rosalie is Khalil’s grandmother. She also took in Lisa when she got pregnant in high school with Starr. She is going through chemotherapy and had recently lost her job at the time of Khalil’s death.
Brenda Harris
Brenda is Khalil’s mother. Her struggles with addiction make her a frequent disappointment to and source of sadness for her son. Later in the story Starr learns that Brenda stole money from King, and that Khalil only began selling drugs to pay back his mother’s debt.
Natasha
Starr and Khalil’s childhood friend who, at age ten, was killed in a drive-by shooting in front of Starr.
Tammy
Khalil’s aunt, who lives in New York City and was friends with Lisa as a child.
Jess
A girl on the Williamson basketball team with Starr. Starr admires that Jess does not attend the protest at Williamson and refuses to use Khalil’s death to get out of class.
Pastor Eldridge
The pastor who leads the funeral service for Khalil.
April Ofrah
A lawyer with Just Us for Justice who agrees to represent Starr pro bono and encourages Starr’s activism throughout the story.
Lyric
Seven and Kenya’s little sister.
Remy
Hailey’s older brother and a student at Williamson who starts a protest for Khalil—mostly just in order to get out of class.
Karen Monroe/DA
The District Attorney in Khalil’s case, described as a middle-aged white woman.
Larry
A black police officer who forces Maverick to the ground.
Diane Carey
The journalist who interviews Starr for a network television special.
Nana
Lisa’s mother, a former alcoholic who lives with Carlos and Pam.
Pam
Carlos’s wife, a surgeon.
Dalvin
DeVante’s brother who is shot and killed at Big D’s party.
Mr. Reuben
Owns a soul food establishment frequented by Starr and Maverick.
Tim
Mr. Reuben’s nephew.
Mrs. Rooks
A regular at Maverick’s store.
Luke
A student at Williamson who takes Hailey to prom.
Britt
A girl on the Williamson basketball team with Starr.
Layla
Seven’s girlfriend and another black student at Williamson.
Ryan
Maya’s boyfriend and the only other black student in Starr’s grade at Williamson.
Detective Gomez
A Latina officer who interviews Starr after the shooting.
Detective Wilkes
A white officer who interviews Starr after the shooting.
Ava
Carlos’s daughter and Starr’s young cousin.
Goon
A King Lord and friend of Maverick who watches over the Carters the night before Starr testifies in front of the grand jury.
Cameron
Khalil’s nine-year-old brother.
Bianca
A friend of Kenya’s at Big D’s party.
Chance
A friend of Kenya’s at Big D’s party.
Denaisa
A Garden Heights teen who dances with DeVante at Big D’s party.
Fo’ty Ounce
A man who lives in Garden Heights.
Big D
He never appears in person in the narrative, but his annual party in Garden Heights is the catalyst for the novel’s action.
