OUR FISTS ARE BLACK
A DOCUMENTARY
B.K.F. GOLDEN DAYS
In the mid to late 1960s, a group of young, Black martial artists started training together at various locations in Los Angeles. The group included many who had trained within Grandmaster Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate system in addition to that of other Martial disciplines such as Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do, Gung Fu and Okinawa-Te. Disciplines aside, there was another bond that brought them together, each had grown tired of being cheated at tournaments.
As a reflection of the controversial times, there was a massive push for a united voice in all organized sports, but integration was slow to come, and the blossoming world of sport karate was no exception. All in all, it was largely believed that the martial arts community was NEVER going to allow for a Black International Grand Champion.
It was soon reasoned that standing together, uniting, was the only alternative to combat such injustice. With the intent of establishing an organization for the marginalized, the group examined how other ethnicities were representing themselves. There was a Japanese Karate Federation and a Chinese Martial Arts Association. Time had come for the Black Karate Federation and with it a crest that would soon command worldwide respect.
To crown the first Black International Grand Champion was the BKF’s clear-cut objective, but trying to make good in South Central Los Angeles was a complex endeavor. The Watts rebellion had left massive scars both literally and figuratively, the Civil Rights Movement was at a crossroads, the Black Panther Party was being systematically dismantled by the F.B.I. and the vicious CRIPS street gang were on every corner. Needless to say, these were crazy times.
So what do you get when you combine battle-tested, martial arts talent with that of several distinct, colorful and sometimes clashing personalities? The inimitable Black Karate Federation, who in 1975 finally succeeded in placing the first Black International Grand Champion atop the podium while never failing to serve as a positive influence for countless inner-city youth. And this is the David versus Goliath meets Cinderella story of how it all went down as told through the eyes of those who went through this extraordinary organization.
Erik has been working in the entertainment industry for over 25 years. His first stop was at the William Morris Agency where he learned how Hollywood ticked, then unleashed his creative beast soon after, producing and writing a handful of feature films until he finally found himself at the Art Center College Of Design where he earned his M.F.A. in Cinema. Today he digs telling stories with heart. See more of Erik’s work at…
The BKF crest