Higher Learning

Three incoming freshmen at fictional Columbus University are introduced: Kristen Connor a friendly but naive white girl, Remy a quiet young white man, and Malik Williams, a black high-school track-star attending college on an athletic scholarship.

Kristen's roommate Monet and Malik attend a dorm party hosted by Fudge White, a militantly Afrocentric senior who is Remy's roommate. Remy becomes upset at the loud rap music being played so late as he attempts to study and contacts campus police to break up the party. Fudge is upset that the white police officers come down hard on the black students but ignore the room down the hall playing equally-loud "hillbilly" music. On the way back to her dorm, Kristen meets Taryn, an openly-lesbian junior. Taryn warns her about walking alone late at night, and invites her to a student group.

Malik and Kristen's introductory political science class is taught by Professor Maurice Phipps, a conservative black man from the West Indies. Professor Phipps challenges the class to determine who they are for themselves, rather than letting others categorize them.

Fudge and his friend Dreads play loud music, which disrupts Remy's studying. When Remy complains, Fudge just threatens him. Remy moves out and gets a new roommate: David, who is Jewish. Later, Remy loses at a video game to Malik, who further mocks him.

Frat boy Billy rapes a drunken Kristen. Monet finds Kristen crying on her bed, then fields a call from Billy, who uses a racial slur when she does not let him speak to Kristen. Angered, Monet turns to Fudge, who recruits his friends to confront Billy at a frat party. Kristen points out Billy to the black students, who pull him outside and force him to apologize to Monet (not knowing that he raped Kristen).

Kristen joins Taryn's student group on harmony between different races and cliques. Eventually, Kristen opens up to Taryn about her rape. Taryn urges Kristen to report the rape, while attempting to console her. As days pass, Kristen becomes increasingly attracted to Taryn.

Remy becomes increasingly isolated. He is treated to a drink by Scott Moss, a white supremacist and neo-Nazi skinhead. Remy hits it off with Scott's skinhead friends: Erik, James, and hulking weight-lifter Knocko.

Malik confronts Phipps about a paper, arguing for a better grade. When Phipps shows him the various spelling and grammar errors, Malik calls him a sellout for the "white establishment". Phipps angrily responds that the world owes Malik nothing, that Malik must work for himself to make a difference in the world. When Malik's teammates confront him over a poor performance at a track meet, he responds with Fudge's militant Afrocentric ideology. He walks away and flirts with fellow runner Deja. She becomes his girlfriend, and shows him how to write a better essay.

Remy spends more and more time with Scott and his gang. Scott, preaching his racist beliefs, gradually convinces the troubled Remy that "the white man is endangered". He shaves his head and is welcomed into Scott's group.

After attending a rape awareness rally with Taryn, Kristen asks to spend the night. Taryn rebuffs her, wanting Kristen to be sure. Kristen eventually starts separate relationships with Wayne and Taryn, who are unaware that Kristen is sleeping with both of them.

Remy confronts Malik with racial slurs. Remy later pulls a handgun on Malik and David, hurling racial slurs at them both as he packs his belongings and drops out of the university. Again Sergeant Bradley assumes Malik is at fault, and lets Remy escape. Malik moves in with Fudge and his fellow roommates, while Remy moves in with Scott and his fellow Neo-Nazis. Fudge's gang wins a rumble against Scott's. Scott convinces Remy not to drop out of Columbus, because the white supremacists need not only soldiers...but also educated people, such as lawyers, to fight for their cause. Yet Remy, intimidated by Malik, considers violence to be inevitable and therefore the only answer. When Remy insists that he is "for real", Scott shows him a collection of guns - including a sniper rifle - which he keeps hidden in his dorm. Scott challenges Remy to kill for the white race.

Kristen and Monet organize a peace festival for the benefit of their fellow students. Malik and Deja attend. Remy opens fire, with Scott's rifle, from a rooftop. Deja is hit and dies in Malik's arms. Malik intercepts Remy and tries to strangle him, but the campus police prevent him from doing this. Remy apologizes for all that he has done, and then turns Scott's gun on himself before Sergeant Bradley can stop him.

A few days later, Malik and Phipps discuss his future at the university. Phipps displays his trust in Malik's judgment. Later, Malik and Kristen - who is also taking Phipps' course, but has never spent time with Malik until today - chat near a statue of Christopher Columbus which has been converted into a memorial site. Kristen feels responsible for Deja's death (because it was Monet's and her Peace Fest), but Malik insists she's not.

Fudge and Taryn (among others) graduate from Columbus University, with the CU flag girls performing for their commencement-ceremony. The film's closing shot finds Phipps strolling from his office underneath the United States flag fluttering in the wind; the caption "unlearn" is typewritten over the flag, as the end credits begin.

The band Eve's Plum performs, as themselves, at the Peace Fest.

According to Box Office Mojo, Higher Learning grossed $38,290,723 in the United States, with $20,200,000 in rentals. It ranked #44 for yearly domestic gross and #17 amongst R-rated films in 1995.[2]

For their performances in Higher Learning, Laurence Fishburne and Ice Cube were nominated for the 1996 Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. Fishburne won.[3]

The soundtrack, containing hip hop, R&B, rock and jazz music, was released on January 3, 1995, by Epic Records. It peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200 and number 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In addition to "Higher", performed by Ice Cube, the soundtrack includes original music by OutKast, Liz Phair, Tori Amos and Rage Against the Machine.

• Higher Learning at IMDb
• Higher Learning at AllMovie
• Higher Learning at Rotten Tomatoes
• Higher Learning at Box Office Mojo