Higher Learning - Plot

Plot

We first see Malik Williams (a black man), Kristen Connor (a white woman), and Remy, (a white man), at the opening freshman pep rally and as they are decorating their rooms. Malik and Kristen meet in the elevator, with Kristen shielding her purse and Malik seeing this and resenting it. There is a montage of each putting up pictures and posters in their rooms. Track star Malik goes to his first practice unprepared, and is chastised severely by the coach.

Kristen meets her roommate, Monet (Regina King), a black girl, and attends a fraternity rush party. Monet and Malik attend a party with other black students, hosted by Fudge (Ice Cube), a black nationalist. Remy, who is Fudge's roommate, is upset at the loud rap music being played late into the night. He calls security, who breaks up the party. Fudge is upset that they don't tell the room down the hall to stop their loud "hillbilly" music. Kristen, while walking home, meets Taryn (Jennifer Connelly), a junior lesbian student who warns Kristen about walking alone late at night and invites her to a student group. Malik's roommate, Wayne, is then introduced, with Malik angry about his filthy bed area.

The next day, Fudge points out the self-segregation of the various ethnic groups on campus. We then see Malik's first class, with Professor Maurice Phipps (Laurence Fishburne). In the class, Malik's and Kristen's names (among others) are called out for having financial problems, embarrassing them. They go to the financial aid office, where Kristen is told she needs a job, and Malik learns that his scholarship is partial, not full. He talks to the coach, who agrees to help him out if he keeps his grades up and works extra hard on the field.

Fudge returns to his room with his friend Dreads (Busta Rhymes), and plays his music loud, disrupting Remy's studying. When Remy complains, Fudge mocks and threatens him, causing Remy to move out. Later, Remy is beaten by Malik at a video game, then rejects an offer of pool from Wayne and David Isaacs, Remy's new Jewish roommate. Kristen is then shown getting drunk and leaving with frat boy Billy, retreating back to his frat room. Billy and Kristen prepare to have sex, but when Billy indicates that he does not have a condom, Kristen decides she doesn't want to have sex. Despite this, Billy ignores her refusal, and rapes her. She eventually fights him off, and flees.

Monet returns to their room and finds Kristen crying in her bed. When Billy calls, Monet refuses give the phone to Kristen, and Billy insults her racially. Angered, she turns to Fudge, who recruits his friends to confront him at the frat party. Fudge and Dreads pull Billy outside, threatening him and forcing him to apologize. The security guards arrive and the black students leave. Kristen attends Taryn's student group on harmony between different groups.

Malik borrows a copy of the autobiography of Frederick Douglass. After telling Fudge he only needs it for a class, Fudge kicks him out, telling him to read it for himself and not for school. That evening, Remy is reading alone outside when he is asked out for a drink by Scott Moss, a white supremacist. He also meets Scott's friends: Erik, James, and Knocko.

Professor Phipps challenges his class (including Kristen and Malik) to determine who they are for themselves and not let others categorize them. Kristen talks about her rape with Taryn, with Taryn encouraging her to report it and attempting to console her. Malik confronts Phipps about a paper he graded, arguing he should have a better grade. When Phipps shows him the various spelling and grammar errors, Malik calls him a sellout. Phipps angrily responds that the world owes Malik nothing and he must work for his own good. Malik is then shown racing in a relay, losing ground to another runner. When his teammates confront him, he responds with Fudge's ideology. He walks away and flirts with fellow runner Deja.

Remy is in Scott's room with James, Erik, and Knocko. The room is decorated with Swastikas and Nazi paraphernalia. Scott expresses his racist beliefs, and Remy is slowly being convinced. Deja is shown helping Malik with his essay and Kristen is shown realizing her attraction to Taryn. Phipps then criticizes Kristen's bland paper, telling her that only writing the facts is fine for journalism, but not for a political science course. Phipps tells her that her purpose at college is to think for herself. Phipps then talks with Malik about his much improved paper. Remy is shown working in a class, surrounded by students of other races. He removes his hat, showing he has shaved his head and is wearing an Iron Cross necklace.

Wayne asks Kristen for a flier for their group, confronting her when she says the anti-sexism group is for women, flirting with her as well. On Halloween, Monet attends a party with Dreads, Kristen attends a rape awareness rally with Taryn, and Remy and the other neo-Nazis attack an interracial couple. Kristen asks to spend the night with Taryn. Taryn rebuffs her, saying she wants Kristen to be sure about it. While stretching on the track, Malik continues spouting Fudge's ideology to Deja, saying he hates feeling like a thoroughbred. Deja rebuffs him, saying he has opportunities that people would do anything for and he should take them. The stretching and running is then intercut in a montage with a love scene, showing they have started dating. Kristen is also going on a date with Wayne.

Scott shows Remy his gun collection and Remy talks about his abusive, survivalist father. Kristen is shown walking holding hands with Taryn. A montage love sequence is shown with Kristen where she sleeps with Wayne, but fantasizes about Taryn. While Malik and Deja talk, Remy approaches, condemning Malik's Black Panther shirt and calling him a racial slur. Malik, angered, goes to Remy's room and confronts him. Remy backs down from a fight, with Malik insulting him and leaving. Remy trashes the room, contemplating suicide. After David returns, he confronts Remy about the mess. Remy starts beating David and Malik intervenes. Remy pulls his Glock 9mm, threatening the two and leaving. Malik runs after him, only to be stopped by security guards asking for ID. Resisting, he is arrested, letting Remy escape. Malik then moves in with Fudge and the rest of his friends.

Malik, Fudge, and Phipps have a discussion on race, knowledge, and "the system". Phipps says that he must play the game of life to win, because no one wants to hear excuses. Kristen begins organizing a peace festival to calm down the students after Remy's actions.

Meanwhile, Scott chastises Remy for dropping out of school, arguing that the white community needs more successful members and that he is betraying his race. After Knocko calls out a racial slur, Fudge, Malik, Dreads, and another black student start a gang fight with the white power skinheads, beating them. Later, Deja confronts Malik on his intentions of dropping out and fighting for no good reason. Malik is becoming more and more angry about racial issues. Scott says that Remy's posturing means nothing, and only actions do. He then shows Remy a sniper rifle and challenges him to action.

We then see Malik and Deja walking at the Peace Fest, with Malik saying he wouldn't drop out because he'd lose her. Remy has moved to the rooftop of a building with the sniper rifle and prepares. Erik stands lookout while the other racist skinheads attack a gay couple to distract security. Remy is obviously having trouble with doing this, but acquiesces when pushed by Scott. He opens fire on the Peace Fest, causing a riot. An unnamed student is killed, and Deja is shot in the stomach. She collapses in Malik's arms. After Phipps tries to help, Malik goes crazy and attacks Remy, meeting him on the stairs and beating him severely and nearly choking him to death before security intervenes and beats him. Security confronts Remy as he tries to leave. Remy pulls his pistol again. Remy apologizes to the police and shoots himself in the head, killing himself. Malik returns and finds that Deja has died, and he collapses into Phipps' arms, crying.

The racist skinheads are shown mourning Remy's death when they see a TV news report of the university shooting. Knocko, Erik, and James then begin celebrating his actions, chanting, "white power". Scott quietly sits back and for a brief moment seems to smile.

Malik and Phipps discuss his future away from the university, with Phipps saying he trusts Malik's judgment. The final scene shows Malik and Kristen meeting at a memorial. Kristen feels guilty about the deaths because she started the festival. Malik assuages her guilt.