Born March 19th 1931, Ed Parker has done more than any other Kenpo Master to popularize and publicize the art of Kenpo. Parker received his Black Belt from William K. S. Chow left for Hawaii in 1951 to attend Birmingham Young University. In 1956 he started teaching Kenpo at the Hollywood Health Club. He instructed many of the Hollywood stars, from Elvis Presley to William Shatner (Star Trek’s Captain Kirk). In 1956 he open his first professional school in Pasadena, California. Parker Americanized Kenpo by bringing many innovations into the art. He started one of the largest and most prestigious tournaments, “Ed Parker International Karate Championships” at which he introduced Bruce Lee to the public. Ed Parker died while on a trip to Hawaii to visit his mother in 1990. Jim and Al Tracy where two of the first students of Ed Parker.
Born March 19th 1931, Ed Parker has done more than any other Kenpo Master to popularize and publicize the art of Kenpo. Parker received his Black Belt from William K. S. Chow left for Hawaii in 1951 to attend Birmingham Young University. In 1956 he started teaching Kenpo at the Hollywood Health Club. He instructed many of the Hollywood stars, from Elvis Presley to William Shatner (Star Trek’s Captain Kirk). In 1956 he open his first professional school in Pasadena, California. Parker Americanized Kenpo by bringing many innovations into the art. He started one of the largest and most prestigious tournaments, “Ed Parker International Karate Championships” at which he introduced Bruce Lee to the public. Ed Parker died while on a trip to Hawaii to visit his mother in 1990. Jim and Al Tracy where two of the first students of Ed Parker.
