 | Denzel Whitaker als James Farmer Jr. |
 | Denzel Washington als Melvin B. Tolson |
 | Nate Parker als Henry Lowe |
 | Jurnee Smollett als Samantha Booke |
 | Forest Whitaker als Dr. James Farmer Sr. |
 | Kimberly Elise als Pearl Farmer |
 | Jermaine Williams als Hamilton Burgess |
 | Gina Ravera als Ruth Tolson |
 | John Heard als Sheriff Dozier |
 | Devyn A. Tyler als Helen Farmer |
 | Trenton McClain Boyd als Nathaniel Farmer |
 | Ritchie Montgomery als Deputy |
 | Jackson Walker als Pig Owner |
 | Tim Parati als Pig Farmer |
 | Robert X. Golphin als Dunbar Reed |
 | Justice Leak als Harland Osbourne |
 | Glen Powell als Harvard Debater #1 |
| Brad Watkins als Harvard Debater #2 |
 | Brian Smiar als Harvard Dean |
 | Damien Leake als Wilson |
| Voltaire Sterling als Paul Quinn Debater #1 |
 | Stephen Rider als Paul Quinn Debater #2 |
 | Gordon Danniels als Paul Quinn Debate Judge |
 | Donny Boaz als Oklahoma City College Debater #1 |
| Samuel Elliott Whisnant als Oklahoma City College Debater #2 |
 | Bonnie Johnson als Dr. Jennings |
 | Charissa Allen als Benita |
 | Michael Beasley als Trudell |
| Gary Mathis als Enormous Man |
 | George Wilson als Samuel |
 | Fahnlohnee R. Harris als Clementine |
 | Harold Evans als William Taylor |
 | J.D. Evermore als Captain Wainwright |
| Sharon Jones als Lila |
| Kelvin Payton als Joseph |
| Southey Blanton als White Labor Organizer |
| Michael Mattison als White Sharecropper #1 |
| Jeff Braun als White Sharecropper #2 |
| Milton R. Gipson als Prairie View Professor |
 | Frank Ridley als Security Guard |
| Jeremiah Kissel als Radio Announcer at Harvard Debate |
 | Jack Radosta als White Man at Lynching |
| Alvin Youngblood Hart als Juke Joint Musician #1 |
 | Dom Flemons als Juke Joint Musician #2 |
| Justin Robinson als Juke Joint Musician #3 |
 | Rhiannon Giddens als Juke Joint Musician #4 |
| Ahmad Powell als Fisk Professor |
 | Marcus Lyle Brown als Howard Debater #1 |
| Gary Mattis als Enormous Man |
| Denzel Washington | Director |
| Robert Eisele | Writer |
| Jeffrey Porro | Story |
| Molly Allen | Co-Producer |
| Todd Black | Producer |
| David Crockett | Executive Producer |
| Kate Forte | Producer |
| Melody Fowler | Associate Producer |
| Joe Roth | Producer |
| Valeria Scoon | Associate Producer |
| Bob Weinstein | Executive Producer |
| Harvey Weinstein | Executive Producer |
| Oprah Winfrey | Producer |
| John Breinholt | Editorial Coordinator |
| Hughes Winborne | Editor |
| Denise Chamian | Casting |
| David J. Bomba | Production Design |
| John R. Jensen | Art Direction |
| Patrick Cassidy | Set Decoration |
| Sharen Davis | Costume Design |
| Karen Golden | Script Supervisor |
| James Newton Howard | Original Music Composer |
| Philippe Rousselot | Director of Photography |
| Peter Golub | Original Music Composer |
| Austin Anderson | Animal Coordinator |
| Patrick Tendai Pfupajena | Production Assistant |
| Jono Oliver | First Assistant Director |
| Greg Hale | Second Assistant Director |
| Steven Ritzi | Stunt Coordinator |
| Kevin Beard | Stunts |
| Bobby Beckles | Stunts |
| Gregg Brazzel | Stunts |
| Lex D. Geddings | Stunts |
| Thirl Haston | Stunts |
| Jim Henry | Stunts |
| Eric Norris | Stunts |
| Stephen A. Pope | Stunt Coordinator |
| Robert Powell | Stunt Double |
| Russell Towery | Stunts |
| Gus Williams | Stunts |
| Joe Nin Williams | Stunts |
| G. Marq Roswell | Music Supervisor |
| David Crockett | Unit Production Manager |
| John Breinholt | Co-Editor |
| Valerie Bleth Sharp | Production Supervisor |
| Brian McNulty | Post Production Supervisor |
| Rob Simons | Assistant Art Director |
| Mark La Bonge | "A" Camera Operator |
| Mark La Bonge | Steadicam Operator |
| Pamela Rittelmeyer | "B" Camera Operator |
| Pamela Rittelmeyer | First Assistant "A" Camera |
| Xiomara Comrie | Second Assistant "A" Camera |
| Xiomara Comrie | First Assistant "A" Camera |
| Sean J. O'Shea | First Assistant "B" Camera |
| Tiffani L. Stephenson | Camera Loader |
| Gary Tolbert | Aerial Director of Photography |
| Dana Kay Hart | Costume Supervisor |
| Jodie Stern | Assistant Costume Designer |
| Diah Wymont | Assistant Costume Designer |
| Frank Perry Rose | Costumer |
| Riki Lin Sabusawa | Key Costumer |
| Yvonne Bastidos | Set Costumer |
| Mitzi Haralson | Set Costumer |
| Giselle Spence | Seamstress |
| Frances Jacques-LeCompte | Seamstress |
| Carl Fullerton | Makeup Department Head |
| Matiki Anoff | Key Makeup Artist |
| Denise Pugh-Ruiz | Assistant Makeup Artist |
| Linda Lazar | Makeup Artist |
| LaToya Henderson | Makeup Artist |
| Nikki I Brown | Makeup Artist |
| Kenneth Walker | Hair Department Head |
| Larry M. Cherry | Hairstylist |
| Belinda Anderson | Key Hair Stylist |
| Valerie Gladstone-Appel | Assistant Hairstylist |
| Andrea Young | Hairstylist |
| Andrea Bowman | Hairstylist |
| Janice Hudson | Hairstylist |
| Willie D. Burton | Sound Mixer |
| Gary A. Theard | Boom Operator |
| Jeff Valeri | Production Coordinator |
| Nicki Johnson | Assistant Production Coordinator |
| Natalia Anderson | Production Secretary |
| Cid Swank | Unit Publicist |
| David Lee | Still Photographer |
| Alison Cannon | Production Accountant |
| Anne Scott | First Assistant Accountant |
| Frederick Shear | Assistant Accountant |
| Jamie Horwitz | Assistant Accountant |
| David Hickey | Payroll Accountant |
| Kali R. Harrison | Second Second Assistant Director |
| George Bott | Additional Second Assistant Director |
| Jack English | Gaffer |
| James Babineaux | Best Boy Electric |
| Stephen Beasley | Rigging Gaffer |
| C. Alan Rawlins Sr. | Key Grip |
| Riko Schatke | Best Boy Grip |
| Ted Sapp | Key Rigging Grip |
| Jacob Ross | Best Boy Grip |
| Darryl Humber | Dolly Grip |
| Kei Rowan-Young | Location Manager |
| Alex Borys | Assistant Location Manager |
| Christina DeCharles | Assistant Location Manager |
| Angela Demo | Casting Associate |
| Natalie Ballesteros | Casting Assistant |
| Christopher Gray | Extras Casting |
| Christian Juneau | Extras Casting Assistant |
| John Bankson | Property Master |
| Virle S. Reid | Assistant Property Master |
| C. Alan Berry | Props |
| Tommy Samona | Leadman |
| Helen Britten | Assistant Set Decoration |
| Gary Damian Thomas | Storyboard Artist |
| Shellie Gillespie | Art Department Coordinator |
| Dillon Jim Breithaupt | Art Department Assistant |
| Jack Lynch | Special Effects Supervisor |
| Jeffery D. Woodrel | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Geraud Brisson | Additional Editor |
| Ian Crockett | Post Production Coordinator |
| Tateum Kohut | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Greg Orloff | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Rick Kline | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Kami Asgar | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Sean McCormack | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Kim Drummond | ADR Supervisor |
| Jonathan Klein | Foley Supervisor |
| Scott G.G. Haller | Dialogue Editor |
| Erin Oakley | ADR Editor |
| Dorian Cheah | Sound Designer |
| Jon Wakeham | Sound Effects Editor |
| John Marquis | Sound Effects Editor |
| Herwig Maurer | Sound Effects Editor |
| Tim Tuchrello | Sound Effects Editor |
| Michael Dressel | Foley Editor |
| Amy Kane | Foley Artist |
| Elizabeth Rainey | Foley Artist |
| Anita Cannella | Foley Artist |
| Carmine Rubino | Foley Mixer |
| Jacob Riehle | First Assistant Sound Editor |
| Eryne Prine | Assistant Sound Editor |
| Todd Kasow | Music Editor |
| Barbara McDermott | Music Editor |
| Fred Peck III | Sound Recordist |
| Brian Smith | ADR Mixer |
| Howard London | ADR Mixer |
| Greg Nicotero | Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Howard Berger | Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Jerry G. Henery | Construction Coordinator |
| Dean Allison | Construction Foreman |
| Scott Childers | Construction Foreman |
| James Passanante | Paint Coordinator |
| Larry Misselhorn | Greensman |
| Ryan Misselhorn | Greensman |
| Nannette Palmer | Set Medic |
| Ted Moser | Transportation Coordinator |
| Richard A. Davis | Transportation Captain |
| Justin Nance | Transportation Co-Captain |
| Lois Yaroshefsky | Studio Teacher |
