The Thread Collectors

William is another primary character, a talented Black musician who specializes in the flute. William grew up enslaved on the plantation of Clinton Righter before he was sold to Mason Frye. At the start of the novel, William escapes enslavement on Frye’s plantation and joins the 3rd Louisiana Native Guard, where he serves as an army musician. He befriends Jacob, with the two connecting over their shared musical talent and experience of being outsiders in a discriminatory society.

William’s experiences in the war test him mentally and physically. Though he joins the army in the hope of being treated as an equal, he faces racism from both Confederate and Union soldiers. Black soldiers are seen as disposable, used as cannon fodder by Union generals. William grows disillusioned with the promises of the Union, but his determination to return to Stella and his loyalty to Jacob keeps him going through the hardest of times.

William’s character represents the thousands of enslaved men who joined the Union Army for a chance to fight for their freedom. Through William’s experiences in wartime, Richards and Edwards highlight the racism Black men in the Union Army faced, as well as the resilience and bravery shown by those fighting for their freedom.

Ammanee is Stella’s older sister, an outspoken and principled woman. She is the daughter of Janie and her former lover, an unnamed enslaved man. Ammanee’s dark skin tone and unambiguous Black identity place her in a lower social class than Stella and Janie, a fact illustrated by the four years that she is left alone on Percy’s plantation while Janie lives on Rampart Street. From the moment of Stella’s birth, Ammanee takes on a maternal role, thinking of herself as “more of a real mama to her sister than Janie” (163). At the beginning of the novel, Ammanee often takes over daunting tasks from Stella, taking it upon herself to protect her sister. Ammanee remains by Stella’s side unfailingly as the two women navigate the trials of the wartime South. She is also a fixture of her community, nurturing strong connections with the women around her.

Though Ammanee loves Stella, their unequal social position in life is an occasional source of friction in their relationship. Ammanee is both literally and figuratively obligated to Stella—as a pretense for keeping her off a plantation, she serves as Stella’s maid in the Burgundy Street cottage. Her constant duty to her sister sidelines her hopes and dreams.

If Stella’s choices for her life are constrained, Ammanee has even fewer. Ammanee is in love with an enslaved man named Benjamin but sees little hope for a future together as Benjamin remains bound to Frye’s plantation. When Stella attempts to speak to Ammanee about her hopes and dreams, Ammanee rebuffs her, reminding her that the two of them lead different lives. Ammanee is not afforded as many privileges or chances as Stella and has little hope of determining her destiny.

As Stella grows into a more mature and empathetic person, she comes to appreciate the extent of Ammanee’s sacrifices. Stella becomes a stronger individual, taking some of the burden of her protection off Ammanee’s shoulders. At the end of the novel, Ammanee falls ill after visiting a Union contraband camp. She dies with Benjamin and Stella by her side. Ammanee’s death is symbolic of Stella coming into her own; Stella no longer needs her sister to protect her, and Ammanee can rest in heaven.

Jacob Kling is a Jewish New Yorker from an economically privileged background, the son of two German Jewish immigrants. He is a trumpet player serving in the Union Army. Throughout the novel, Jacob exchanges letters with his wife, Lily, updating her on the progress of the war as the Union marches southward.

Jacob struggles to fit in with his fellow white soldiers, many of whom harbor antisemitic biases. He finds a greater sense of belonging among the Black recruits, who are intimately familiar with the experiences of discrimination and prejudice. Jacob connects with William over their shared love for music and advocates for William’s talents to be recognized by the army’s higher-ups. The two men forge a close bond that transcends differences of race, ethnicity, and religion. Jacob is the first white man to see William as more than “just another runaway slave” (252).

Jacob’s friendship with William expands both men’s perspectives. Jacob comes to better understand the devastating effects of racism, as William shares traumatic and violent stories from his past. Additionally, he witnesses firsthand the mistreatment of the Black recruits at the hands of the Union Army, learning that anti-Black racism is not a uniquely Southern problem. Jacob advocates for William and Teddy to receive equal treatment and ensures that Union officers recognize their talents.

As the men trade stories, William learns about Jacob’s cultural background and the antisemitic discrimination he faces from his regiment. The two men share folk songs and traditions from their respective cultures; several times, Jacob prays the Kaddish to honor fallen Black soldiers who the Union generals left to rot. When Jacob is badly injured in the woods, William risks his life journeying through the deep South to get help for his friend. Thanks to William’s actions, Jacob is saved and reunited with Lily. In return, Jacob and Lily offer William a job in New York. Their relationship is one of mutual trust, understanding, and support, supporting the novel’s themes of Racist Oppression and the Pursuit of Intersectional Activism and Reclaiming Agency Through Resistance.

Lily Kling is Jacob’s wife. A Jewish woman with a passion for abolition and feminism, Lily is an outspoken activist who rallies against all moral injustices. Her passionate nature inspires Jacob to write an original song, “Girl of Fire,” which becomes a recurring symbol of love and friendship throughout the novel. While Jacob is away, Lily writes to him regularly, providing a Northerner’s perspective on the progress of the war. Her character is both a parallel and a foil to Stella’s; while both women are awaiting the return of their loves, Lily has far more control over her life than Stella does.

To fundraise for abolitionist causes, Lily takes up quilting. She soon adapts this skill to making clean bandages for struggling Union hospitals. When she doesn’t hear from Jacob for several weeks, Lily makes the journey down South to search for him herself. As a Northerner, she faces considerable risk traveling through the Confederate South. Her bravery and refusal to give up are instrumental to Jacob’s eventual rescue.

Though Lily lives a privileged life as a wealthy white Northerner, her experiences are informed by her ethnicity, religion, and gender. As a Jewish woman who is outspoken about abolition, she faces antisemitic and misogynistic backlash. Lily is a proponent of intersectionality: Early on, she expresses her belief that it is illogical for Jewish people, who have their own history of oppression, to support enslavement. She eventually intertwines her pro-abolition work with a pro-feminist ideology, fighting for equality across racial and gender lines. Her character contributes to the theme of Racist Oppression and the Pursuit of Intersectional Activism.