Other Black Belts

Kenpo did not develop as a single straight line. Parker, Chow and the Tracy schools produced or influenced many practitioners who later built systems of their own.

Branches, not a ladder

A family tree is best read as a network. Ralph Castro, James Ibrao, John McSweeney, Tino Tuiolosega, Bill Ryusaki and many others are important not because they fit neatly beneath one modern organization, but because their careers show how quickly the art diversified.

Cross-training was normal

Early American martial artists often trained in more than one discipline. Judo, boxing, karate, kung fu, hapkido and Filipino arts all influenced the broader environment. Trying to assign every technique to one exclusive source usually creates more mythology than history.

Preserve the documents

Black-belt lists are most useful when tied to certificates, dates and teacher relationships. This site will continue adding documented names without treating rank seniority as a contest.