One Crazy Summer

Cecile Johnson, also known as “Nzila,” is the mother of Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern. Her most significant action in the novel—abandoning her daughters—occurs almost six years before the novel starts, and is also what prompts her to give herself a new name. Over the course of the novel, Cecile’s character is mostly static. She prioritizes her art—writing and printing her poetry—above all else. Her focus on her art consistently brings her into conflict with the other characters in the novel.

The only information the reader is given about Cecile's past comes from two sources. The first is the fragmented memories Delphine has of her mother before Cecile left her children. The second is Cecile herself, who tells Delphine about her life before she married Delphine's father. The story Cecile tells Delphine is full of trauma, and she implies that she was abused after she was forced to live on the streets as a teenager. Delphine’s memories of her mother also suggest that Cecile is an odd person. For example, Delphine remembers her mother writing on the walls of their home.

During most of the novel, Cecile spends her days and nights writing poetry and printing out copies of her poems. Delphine characterizes her mother as "crazy" because Cecile is terrified of the police and refuses to be a traditional mother. Delphine is able to sympathize with her mother after Cecile is arrested and she learns about her mother's difficult past. Eventually, she understands that Cecile was incapable of nurturing or caring for her children when she left them. The most significant change in Cecile's character occurs when she is finally able to publicly acknowledge and privately accept her daughters at a rally.

Big Ma is another static character. She is a woman from Alabama who embraces traditional ideas about African-American identity and womanhood. She is a mother figure to her three granddaughters, and her influence shapes Delphine's early identity. Big Ma teaches Delphine that Cecile is not worthy of respect because she abandoned her children and lived on the street. She also teaches Delphine to not draw attention to herself because she is African American. When Big Ma was Delphine's age, being quiet and avoiding attention were two ways that African Americans survived a racist society. Eventually, Cecile and the Black Panthers help Delphine to adopt a more well-rounded understanding of African-American identity than the one she learned from Big Ma.

As a 7-year-old, Fern is the youngest and most vulnerable of the Gaither sisters. At the start of the novel, Fern acts slightly younger than her age by carrying around Miss Patty Cake, her white doll. Her identity is mostly defined by her relationship with her sisters and the fact that she was abandoned by her mother. She faces many challenges throughout the novel. For example, Crazy Kelvin confronts Fern about carrying around a white doll, and Fern is bullied as a result. Fern is also hurt when her mother constantly refuses to call her by her real name, calling her “Little Girl” instead. Despite these challenges, Fern demonstrates resilience for her age. When her older sister destroys her beloved Miss Patty Cake, she learns to adjust. Fern also becomes a poet in her own right when she performs her own poem at a rally that reveals Crazy Kelvin is a police informant.

Vonetta Gaither is the middle Gaither sister. She thrives on attention and seems to need the approval of her peers much more than her sisters. Vonetta is the first of the three sisters to befriend other children at the People's Center. She is also the most vocal critic of Delphine's efforts to exercise authority over her younger sisters. When Vonetta refuses to allow Delphine to keep her from attending a rally, Delphine reflects on her role as an older sister/surrogate parent.

Sister Mukumbu is one of the women who teaches and cares for children at the Black Panthers’ community center. She is nurturing and one of the first people to make Delphine feel welcome in Oakland. Sister Mukumbu is one of the many people who teaches Delphine about activism, which has a huge impact on Delphine. Sister Mukumbu represents the many African-American women who supported the civil rights movement and other black liberation movements without fanfare.

A central figure at the People's Center, Crazy Kelvin claims that he despises the police and calls them “pigs.” He lectures others about the importance of black power, black pride, and the Black Panthers. His poor judgment and lack of sensitivity are evident throughout the novel. For example, he shames Fern—a little girl—for carrying around a white doll, and he talks about the arrest of Hirohito's father during a lecture that Hirohito attends. Kelvin's many shortcomings prime the reader to view him as a caricature of the Black Panthers. Fern eventually exposes Crazy Kelvin as a police informant who gives the police sensitive information about the Black Panthers.

Hirohito is one of the children who attends the breakfast program and the classes at the People's Center. Several girls (Delphine included) have a crush on Hirohito. Hirohito is the son of a Vietnam War veteran who was arrested for his participation in protests. Hirohito's sadness over his father's arrest and incarceration force Delphine to confront the real dangers of being an activist.

Louis Gaither is the father of the three Gaither sisters. He is mostly absent from the novel, as he does not accompany the three girls to Oakland. Louis met their mother, Cecile, when she was homeless and took her in. Afterwards, Cecile cleaned Louis's house and bore his children. He teaches his daughters, especially Delphine, more traditional ideas about African-American identity. His daughters view him as a responsible caregiver, and the stability he provides contrasts with Cecile’s erratic and harsh treatment of them.

Like Delphine, Eunice is the oldest of three sisters. Though Delphine befriends Eunice at the People’s Center, Delphine is mortified when Eunice accuses her of liking Hirohito. Eunice’s friendship is one of the few driving forces in the novel that prompts Delphine to think of herself as a normal girl instead of a substitute parent for her younger sisters.

Bobby Hutton is a historical figure. He was one of the first members of the Black Panthers. Bobby was 17 when he was gunned down during a shootout between the Black Panthers and the Oakland Police Department. His death in 1968 galvanized the Oakland community, which viewed his death as an example of police brutality. In the novel, his death helps Delphine realize the real dangers of being a child activist.

Mrs. Woods is Hirohito's mother. She takes in the Gaither sisters after their mother is arrested. While the girls live at the Woods' house, Mrs. Woods nurtures them the way most mothers do. She provides a loving, maternal care that has been absent from their lives, which allows Delphine to take a break from being her younger sisters’ substitute mother.