Al Tracy Writings & Documents

A catalog of Al Tracy material that can be documented from surviving public sources—separating confirmed bylines, historical research, newsletters, manuals, training documents and spoken history.

We do not copy entire copyrighted Al Tracy articles or manuals unless permission is established. This archive provides original summaries and links to surviving sources. Items whose exact authorship is uncertain are labeled as research, attributed material, or referenced-but-not-yet-recovered rather than being promoted to a false Al Tracy byline.

Was Elvis really a Black Belt? / He Dared to Promote Elvis

Al Tracy's article about Hank Slomanski, Elvis Presley's original black-belt promotion, and the military-service context Al wanted preserved after 9/11. The surviving page explicitly credits Al Tracy and states that reproduction requires permission.

The History & Origins of the Kenpo Katas (AKA Sets or Forms)

Pat Tracy introduces the material as Al Tracy's response to misinformation about the origin and order of Kenpo forms. It records Al's historical research and seminar explanations, including the Panther/Book Set and the sequence of forms introduced into Kenpo.

Open surviving source

Tracy System News Flash — Volume 11, No. 1, Summer 2002

A later Advisory Council page preserves portions of Al Tracy's News Flash instructions on succession, preservation of the system, and making videotapes of self-defense techniques, katas, required basics and supporting material available.

Open surviving source

Tracy Newsletters, late 1970s–early 1980s

Former students and custodians of the Tracy curriculum refer to Al Tracy newsletters from this period, including business guidance about opening schools and the importance of staying with the curriculum. Until original issues are recovered, this archive records the references rather than inventing or reconstructing their wording.

Open surviving source

Al Tracy Quick Reference Manual — Yellow through Fifth Black

Self Defense Studios identifies the Quick Reference Manual as GGM Tracy's original manual, documenting the system from Yellow Belt through Fifth Black. This site catalogs the document but does not reproduce copyrighted manual text.

Open surviving source

Kata Manual and Required Kata Documentation

Al Tracy emphasized preserving all aspects of the system. Current custodial material describes a Kata Manual covering required forms and additional material, alongside video documentation.

Open surviving source

Instructor Manuals / Technique Family Groupings

Later Kenpo researchers describe Al Tracy's early-1980s instructor manuals as a source for organizing technique families. This is cataloged as an attributed training-document series; the complete originals have not been republished here.

Open surviving source

Yang Sword Folder and New Material