Derek Vineyard, played by Edward Norton, is initially introduced in the movie as a charismatic and influential leader of a white supremacist gang in California. He is shown to be highly articulate and intelligent, and appears to be quite popular among the members of his gang. However, Derek also possesses a deeply ingrained hatred for people of color, which he expresses through acts of extreme violence and aggression.
The movie is structured around two timelines - one in which Derek is still a part of the skinhead gang, and another where he is released from prison and tries to distance himself from his past. Through these two storylines, the filmmakers explore the roots and consequences of hate and racism.
The inciting incident for the first timeline is the murder of Derek's father by a black drug dealer. This event, along with Derek's father's racist beliefs, sets him on a path of unbridled hatred towards people of color. Derek leads his gang in violent attacks on black people and other minorities, including a particularly brutal scene where they break into a grocery store owned by a Korean man and destroy the place.
However, Derek's worldview begins to crumble when he meets a black man named Lamont (played by Guy Torry) while in prison. Lamont challenges Derek's beliefs and helps him see that his hatred is misguided. Derek begins to read literature by black authors and forms a close bond with Lamont, which culminates in a powerful scene where they jointly do laundry while discussing their lives and struggles.
After being released from prison, Derek tries to live a normal life and distances himself from his old gang. He also tries to have a positive influence on his younger brother Danny (played by Edward Furlong), who is beginning to express racist beliefs similar to Derek's. However, Derek's past actions come back to haunt him when he is targeted by a group of his former associates who want him to rejoin their racist cause. This leads to a tragic turn of events that ultimately forces Derek to confront the consequences of his past actions.
Overall, American History X is a compelling and thought-provoking movie that explores important themes of race, hate, redemption, and personal growth. It is a powerful reminder that even the most deeply ingrained beliefs can be challenged and changed with enough self-reflection and the willingness to learn from others.