Edmund Kealoha Parker (March 19, 1931 – December 15, 1990) was an American martial artist, who founded and codified the art of American Kenpo. [1] Born in Honolulu, Parker began training in Judo [2] at an early age and later studied boxing.

American Kenpo Karate (/ ˈkɛnpoʊ /), also known as American Kenpo or Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate, is an American martial art [2][3] founded and codified by Ed Parker. It is synthesized mainly from Japanese and Okinawan martial arts such as karate and judo, [1] with influence from Chinese martial arts. [4][5] It is a form and descendant of Kenpō.

Dec 14, 2024 · Hailed as the "Father of American Kenpo," Parker was a groundbreaking martial artist whose influence extended far beyond the dojo. A visionary teacher, tournament pioneer, and innovator, he brought martial arts into the mainstream, shaping the way it is practiced and perceived today.

Dec 15, 1990 · Ed Parker is often credited with opening the first commercial karate school in the continental U.S. in the 1950s, and his International Kenpo Karate Association is one of the most successful martial arts organizations worldwide.

Ed Parker was one of America’s foremost Karate Pioneers. He was the undisputed “Father” of American Karate having opened the first Karate studio in 1954. His credits include many other firsts, such as the first…

Mr. Ed Parker is the foremost authority and instructor of Karate in the United States today and is known world-wide as "Mr. Karate". He is the Founder of American Kenpo, the president and founder of the Ed Parker Karate Studio chain, as well …

PARKER, ED (1931-1990) American karate pioneer, promoter, actor, instructor, and author. Parker founded the first commercial karate school on the West Coast, in Provo, Utah, in 1954. A student of William K.S. Chow, he left Hawaii in 1951.

The founder of the art: Mr. Edmund K. Parker, FGM. Parker was born in Hawaii in 1931 and began training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later, boxing. Sometime in the 1940s, Ed Parker was first introduced to Kenpō by Frank Chow.

Dec 15, 1990 · Senior Grandmaster Edmund K. Parker is the undisputed "Father of American Karate" and the Founder of American Kenpo Karate. He was a native of Honolulu, Hawaii and began teaching Kenpo Karate commercially in 1954 at a gymnasium in Provo, Utah. Mr. Parker graduated in 1956 from Brigham Young University (BYU) with a B.S. in Psychology.

Dec 21, 2023 · Ed Parker, the "Father of American Kenpo Karate," featured on the February 1975 issue of Black Belt Magazine. Parker's cover story features his journey, detailing his experiences, philosophy, and the evolution of American Kenpo.