Definitely. The events and characters in The Great Debaters have roots in real historical events and people. It gives a fictionalized account of their experiences and achievements.
The significance lies in its ability to inspire. It shows that real - life events can be turned into powerful stories. It also highlights the importance of debate as a means of fighting for justice and equality, as the characters in the story did based on the true events.
The main characters are likely the members of the debate team. They are the ones who go through the journey of preparing for and participating in the debates. There could be a coach or a mentor figure as well who helps them along the way. Maybe there are also some opponents they face in the debates that could be considered important characters in the context of the story.