as

Self (archive footage)

as

Self

as

Self

as

Narrator

as

Annie McCall

as

Valerie

as

Miss Candy

as

Mrs. Harper

as

Narrator (voice)

as

Mama Lucas

as

Doris

as

Herself

as

Self

as

Ms. Ella

as

Nanna Maria

as

Self

as

Nanny

as

Self

as

Self

as

(archive footage)

as

Self

as

Narrator

as

Elsie Claviere

as

Emelda West

as

Mrs. Henry

as

Grandmother

as

Mary Wilson

as

Mommit Porter

as

Annie Elizabeth 'Bessie' Delany

as

Margo

as

Narrator (voice)

as

Self

as

Mrs. Mitchell (segment "The Badge")

as

Narrator

as

Self

as

Herself - Narrator

as

Hortence

as

Self (archive footage)

as

Sophia

as

Indigo

as

Evangeline Ferguson

as

Jennie

as

Grandma (voice)

as

Grandmother (voice)

as

Mother Abagail Freemantle

as

Mother Abagail Freemantle

as

LaBelle Springbelt

as

Rachel

as

Narrator

as

Lydia Wilson

as

Narrator

as

Estelle Williams

as

Lucinda Purify

as

Narrator (voice)

as

Corrine Dart

as

Rowena

as

Jackie's Mother

as

Zora Neale Hurston

as

Mother Sister

as

Self

as

Elizabeth Keckley

as

Narrator (voice)

as

Mrs. Grimes

as

Mammy Watkins

as

Faye Williams

as

Herself - Narrator (voice)

as

Female

as

Mary Tyrone

as

Irene Whitfield

as

Grandmother Baxter

as

Queen Victoria Haley

as

Self

as

Leah Matanzima

as

Ruth Campanella

as

Julia Augustine

as

Ruth

as

Netta's mother

as

Lorraine Hansberry and other assorted characters

as

Narrator (voice)

as

Sue Ann Lucas

as

Self

as

Self (archive footage)

as

Lucinda

as

Laurie

as

Self - Guest

as

Joan Robinson

as

Vicky Kingsbury

as

Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins

as

Thief

as

Harriet Tubman

as

Laura Smith

as

Ruth Younger

as

Catherine Collins

as

Ruth

as

Christine

as

Elizabeth

as

Lucy Tyler

as

Irma Jackson

as

Rachel

as

Rowena Finch

as

Rae Robinson

as

Connie Brooks (uncredited)

as

Drugstore Girl

as

Joan

as

Vocals

as

Writer