The History of Tex Kwon Do
- Our history has its roots in the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) system which originated in Korea. In 1956, a young 3rd-Degree Black Belt named Jhoon Rhee brought Tae Kwon Do to Texas, making him the first to teach the art in the United States.
- Jhoon Rhee was an excellent technician, as well as a teacher and true visionary. Now a 10th-Degree Black Belt, he is well recognized as the “Father of Tae Kwon Do in America”. Rhee was the first to develop protective sparring equipment as a result of the injuries from the bare-knuckled tournaments of the late 60′s and early 70′s. Grandmaster Rhee brought the no-nonsense, real-world self-defense aspect to the forefront, providing the impetus for one of the few truly unique American martial arts systems.
- By the early 60′s, Rhee had laid the foundation of the legacy that was to ultimately evolve into Tex Kwon Do by promoting Black Belt greats like Allen Steen, J. Pat Burleson, Skipper Mullins and Demetrius “Golden Greek” Havanas. They, in turn, created their own Black Belt champions – Raymond McCallum, Billye “Jack” Jackson, Troy Dorsey, Tim Kirby, and more.
- Just as the early days of Texas produced amazing and colorful warriors such as Davy Crockett, Jim Bowey and Sam Houston, the pioneers of this fighting art were men that possessed those same qualities. Not to be left out, women like Phyllis Evetts and Joy Tuberville rounded out the pack.
- Tex Kwon Do then began to earn its name as the “Blood & Guts” era of sport Karate. Powerful kicking and punching, as well as judo throws, were commonly allowed on concrete floors. Legenday Hall of Famer, Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, even quipped, “A point in Texas Karate was considered capital murder in California.” It is not as much a place on the map as it is an attitude, and indomitable spirit, the warrior spirit of Tex Kwon Do. This is why we are different from “sport only” karate and why it is important and valuable for martial arts training.
- Its trademark simplicity with intensity is a formal foundation for victory, both inside the dojo and out. By continually keeping a strong connection and commitment to real-world self-defense, Tex Kwon Do has become a fighting art that stands alone in and out of the competitive ring. Tex Kwon Do continues to develop world class warriors in modern day times, and Vision Martial Arts is proud to be at the forefront of producing more leaders: champions in martial arts and in life.
