Kenpo Karate - Other Black Belts
byWill Tracy
3/8/97
(revised 1/11/98)
(second revision 9/7/99)
Some of Ed Parker's later black belts have complained that they are not mentioned on this site. But this is kenpokarate.com, and none of those later students were awarded Shodan in Kenpo Karate. They were Ed Parker black belts after Ed Parker changed Kenpo Karate into his own systems of Kenpo. However, there is no black belt rank in Kenpo Karate. Kenpo Karate only awards Dan ranks with Shodan being the first Dan rank. Some of these men have openly rejected the order in which Ed Parker promoted his first black belts and have set themselves up ahead of those who were actually promoted before them. Some put Rich Montgomery before James Ibrao. This is a small matter, but none of the redactors of Kenpo history was present at the time, and their arguments are based on what others who were not there say. Some leave Ed Tabian, All Tracy or Jim Tracy off the order of promotion. Unfortunately for those critics, all of Ed Parker's original Shodans are still alive and all agree with the belt order on this site. On black belt claims he was promoted to black belt in the fall of 1962 and has a picture of me (Will Tracy) at his promotion. The problem is, I was not in Los Angeles at any time between June 1962 and February 1963 - but I am indeed in the picture. He is not wrong about the promotion, but he is wrong on the date. In 1966 his profile appeared in Black Belt Magazine, which states, "He was promoted to 1st Degree in Karate in 1963 and is now the assistant instructor at the Hq. of the International Kenpo Karate Ass'n., 1713 E. Walnut St. Pasadena, Calif."