“Without Ed Parker, the modern martial arts world would look very different.”
Every August, the martial arts community returns to Long Beach—not simply for another tournament, but to honor the vision of one extraordinary man.
Born in Hawaii, Parker arrived in Southern California during a time when karate was virtually unknown in America. Opening one of the first commercial karate schools in the Los Angeles area, he introduced thousands of Americans to the art of Kenpo Karate. But Parker’s ambitions extended far beyond teaching techniques.
He dreamed of bringing martial arts out of the dojo and into the mainstream.
That dream became reality in 1964, when he founded the Long Beach International Karate Championships, an event that would forever redefine martial arts competition. Parker welcomed practitioners from every style, every country, and every background, creating what would become the most prestigious martial arts tournament in the world.
For more than four decades, the Internationals became the stage where legends were made.
It was here that Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, Cynthia Rothrock, Mike Stone, Steve Sanders, and countless other champions built their reputations. It was also the tournament that introduced a young martial artist named Bruce Lee to the American public.
Invited personally by Ed Parker to demonstrate his revolutionary approach to kung fu, Lee’s famous one-inch punch and two-finger push-ups became one of the defining moments in martial arts history.
Yet Parker’s influence reached far beyond competition.
Long before martial arts became a Hollywood phenomenon, Ed Parker understood the power of entertainment. He was the first promoter to merge the worlds of martial arts and celebrity, transforming the Long Beach Internationals into a cultural event unlike anything audiences had ever seen.
His close friendship with Elvis Presley, one of his most devoted Kenpo students, helped bring unprecedented attention to the martial arts. Hollywood icons, including Sharon Tate, Sidney Poitier, and many other actors, filmmakers, and entertainers, regularly attended the Internationals, making the tournament as much a gathering of stars as it was a showcase of champions.
In doing so, Parker helped lay the foundation for martial arts’ eventual explosion in film and television.
No publication chronicled that journey more closely than Black Belt Magazine.
From its earliest years, Black Belt documented Ed Parker’s innovations, profiled his students, covered his tournaments, and celebrated the champions who emerged from the Long Beach stage. Together, Ed Parker and Black Belt Magazine helped introduce martial arts to millions of readers, preserving the stories, techniques, personalities, and history that continue to inspire practitioners around the world.
Their partnership helped shape an entire generation.
Today, the Long Beach Internationals remain more than a tournament—they are a living tribute to a man whose vision united styles, elevated competition, embraced Hollywood, and brought martial arts into popular culture.
As the martial arts world gathers once again on the first weekend of August, we celebrate not only an iconic championship but the remarkable legacy of the man who made it all possible.
Thank you, Senior Grandmaster Ed Parker.
Your vision transformed martial arts from a niche pursuit into a global movement. Your friendship, mentorship, and leadership changed lives, launched careers, and inspired generations.
Black Belt Magazine makes sure that legacy continues to be shared with martial artists around the world.
