Franklin Parker, the author of the manuscript, was born on June 2, 1921 in New York City. He has spent his life in academia, researching and writing several books, including "George Peabody: A Biography" (1971) and "African Development and Education in Southern Rhodesia" (1960). His studies encompass a wide range of topics, but he focused on comparative education. He is married to Betty J. Parker (b. 1929), whom he writes many of his pieces with.

Myles Horton was born in 1905 in Savannah, Tennessee.. In his life, he would become an advocate for African Americans, workers, and the poor. He dedicated his life to the Highlander Folk School, which he co-founded, which helped unionize workers and fought for civil rights in the 1950s and 60s. Despite numerous attacks on his character and his school, Horton maintained his principles in a hostile environment and was able to better the lives of disadvantaged Southerners. Horton died January 19, 1990.