Angel Hill is one of the novel’s two protagonists. Angel is a 16-year-old Black girl who resides in the idyllic community of Greenwood. From the beginning of the text, Angel is kind, generous, compassionate, and believes she was put on earth to help others. She’s sometimes bullied at school by kids like Muggy and Isaiah, but most adults love Angel. In part because of her compassion and kindness, Angel prefers the philosophies and methods of Booker T. Washington to W. E. B. Du Bois; she wants to create slow progress without risking peace. Her views link to the theme of The Struggle for Justice and Equality because, although she and Isaiah are both deeply committed to this cause, they initially have different ideas about how to accomplish it. However, by talking to each other and opening their minds, they both come to understand the value of both writers. They ultimately take a collaborative, rather than an individual, approach to social change.

Angel and Isaiah fall in love despite the tension, segregation, and violence around them, which illustrates Love and Friendship During Turbulent Times. Far from being a distraction from the serious matters at hand, the love between Isaiah and Angel helps them both be kinder people and better serve their community in a time of crisis.