Brother Future

A Detroit high school student who ends up stranded in 1822 when he is transported to a plantation world. He starts off cynical and frightened but grows into someone who fights for others, learning to value his heritage and the power of solidarity. TJ drives the plan to help enslaved people and to find his way back home by following the clues of Mortilla and the big tree.

An enslaved man on Cooper's plantation who learns to read with TJ's help. He endures a brutal whipping, becoming a symbol of resilience and the stakes of literacy under oppression. He passes along information and participates in Vesey’s plan, shaping the rebellion’s narrative.

The black slave driver on the Cooper plantation who enforces rules with intimidation and whip-lash authority. He overhears TJ and Josiah and becomes a central obstacle in their efforts to escape. His role embodies the systemic cruelty that the protagonists must confront.

A historic figure referenced as the organizer of rebellion; he is consulted through TJ’s mission and represents the long arc of enslaved resistance. Vesey’s legacy looms over the plan to rebel, giving TJ and the others a beacon of hope. His presence ties the narrative to broader Black history and collective courage.

A house slave and palm reader who guides TJ with cryptic insight. She instructs him to help another slave and to find the big tree to return home. Mortilla’s knowledge and mystique position her as a crucial catalyst for TJ’s understanding of time, fate, and responsibility.

Josiah’s girlfriend who, along with TJ and Josiah, attempts to escape Cooper’s plantation. Her presence adds a layer of human connection and hope amid hardship, highlighting the personal stakes of the escape.

The plantation owner who wields wealth and authority to control enslaved people. His home becomes a focal point of confrontation as TJ and Josiah navigate danger, pursuit, and moral testing. Cooper embodies the economics and brutality that sustain the slave system.