Missie May

A seemingly happy newlywed woman living in an all-Black town in central Florida in the 1930s. Missie May is beautiful and proud, but her greed nearly destroys the happy life she is trying to build.

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Joe

A hardworking newlywed man living in an all-Black town in central Florida in the 1930s. Initially kind yet gullible, Joe struggles to retain his optimistic nature when his world is rocked by his wife’s betrayal of their marriage vows.

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Otis D. Slemmons

A slick-talking man from Chicago who opens an ice cream parlor in Joe and Missie May’s town. Slemmons is a charlatan who attempts to fool the townspeople with a façade of charisma and wealth.

Joe’s mother

Joe’s mother and Missie May’s mother-in-law. Critical and discerning, Joe’s mother initially judges Missie May based on her mother’s reputation.