Danny Vinyard, a high school student, receives an assignment from Mr. Murray, his history teacher, to write a paper on "any book which relates to the struggle for human rights. Knowing Murray is Jewish, Danny writes his paper on Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. Murray attempts to get Danny expelled for doing this, but Principal Dr. Bob Sweeney who is black refuses, instead informing Danny that he will study history and current events under Sweeney, and that the class will be called "American History X".