The American Karate Black Belt Association - Chin Sook Hage Kwan's fundamental purpose is to unify those who practice martial arts, and in a dedicated beneficial manner, to promote the brotherhood and the preservation of the Martial Arts in a High Degree of Standard and Proficiency, regardless which "Traditional" style practiced. This is the AKBBA-CHSK's essence for existing. Although, not a charity, the Leadership for the AKBBA-CHSK is "money" nonprofit oriented.
 

     The AKBBA-CSHK High Dan Board is composed of eleven mature and successful Master Black Belts with small egos, each bringing their individual talents from various traditional styles and over 300 years combined national and international experience.

     Their career accomplishments are multiple, and range from state to national champions in kata, point & full contact fighting, successful school ownership & management, to technical & teaching honor awards.

     They joined together and enlisted the aide of the Voting Board of Affiliates (those AKBBA-CSHK Affiliates ranked 3rd Dan or higher and running their own schools) to set and oversee the rules and standards for belt promotion and general protocol association wide.

     The High Dan Board sets up and conducts a full compliment of requested seminars nationwide for its members (and is always available for counsel or to answer questions) including:

      1. Teaching Methods (basics & theory, Instructor & student conduct, protocol, inner school class scheduling & organization)

      2. Business (procedures & promotion, advertising, tournament organization & judging)

      3. Technical (self-defense, sparring, kata, Bunkai, weapons, pressure point, Kardio Kickbox Aerobics, full contact & point fighting, law officers defense tactics, etc;)

      4. Traditional (Aikido, Judo, Jujitsu, Modern Arnis, Iaido, Kendo, Weapons)

      5. Official (sits on the boards of rank promotion exams, awards Legitimate AKBBA-CSHK Rank and Instructor Certifications, reviews & researches the authenticity of certifications and documents submitted)

      The AKBBA-CSHK Stands For "goodwill, respect, assistance, and cooperation among ALL martial arts and humans" (whether AKBBA-CSHK Members or not).

     Although, the AKBBA-CSHK High Dan Board is "money" nonprofit, many AKBBA-CSHK Affiliated Schools are among the most highly successful in the world in all aspects of the arts and business; both nationally and internationally.

     The Association began in 1964 as the Southwest Karate Black Belt Association, under the creation and direction of U.S. and Texas Karate Pioneer, Allen R. Steen, past World and Grand Nationals Champ, and promoter of the, prestigious and top ranked, United States Karate Championships in Dallas, Texas. This organization became one of the largest and most dynamic karate associations in the world.

     It was, initially, composed of Black Belts from Allen Steen's Texas Karate Institute empire, and other top Black Belt competitors and promoters from the Southwest U.S., including David Moon (Moon Dai Won), who won 3 consecutive U.S. Championships in the 1960's, and Sam Allred a New Mexico Karate Pioneer who promoted the famous Central North American Karate Championships.

     The Association was a virtual "Who's Who" of the top karate competitors in the United States. Association Black Belts literally dominated the top 10, even top 15 nationally ranked tournament competitors in the 1960's and 1970's. Among its membership were such karate pioneers and greats as: J. Pat Burleson who won many National titles in the 60's and promoted the famous rough-and-tough Texas State Karate Championships; Skipper Mullins, 5-time World Champ; Demetrius Havanas (deceased); Jim Butin; Walt Bone (deceased); Ronnie Cox (deceased); Dennis Cox; Raymond McCallum; Ed Daniel; Roy Kurban; James Toney; Richard Jenkins; Chuck Loven; George Minshew; Fred Wren; Tim Vought; Jim Harkins (deceased); James Stevens; Dennis Gotcher; Billy Simms; Arnold (Zip) White; Andy White; Royce Young; Billy Watson; Pam Watson; Phyllis Evetts; Marian Erickson; Jenice Miller (deceased); Jim Miller; Steve Armstrong; Al Dacascos; Malia Dacascos; Rick Vaughn; Mickey Fisher; Keith Yates; Jack White; Larry Caster; David Archer; Bob Potter; Steve Selby; Tim Kirby; Larry Ritchie; and many others; literally, too many, with too many awards and credits to mention in this small space.

     Karate, in Texas, was hard and tough. Throughout the entire country, the Allen Steen brand of Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Kwan was known as "Texas Blood and Guts Karate." So tough, that one National Tournament Competitor in the 1970's, commented on why he came to the Diamond Nationals in St. Louis, but didn't compete, "I didn't travel over a thousand miles to have my teeth knocked in by some Texan." Such was the reputation of the Black Belts of the Association, that an article in Black Belt Magazine once commented, "anyone in a tournament facing someone wearing the red and black Southwest Karate Black Belt Association emblem, knows he's in for a very tough fight."

     The Association grew so large, nationally (with over 10,000 members), that it was really no longer a "Southwest" association, but an American association. So, in 1972, the name was changed to: the American Karate Black Belt Association. And, the former red and black shield of the SWKBBA was changed to the (now familiar) red, white, and blue AKBBA shield.

     While the AKBBA was, unquestionably, Allen Steen's created organization, it became widely composed of a number of divisions, each with its own board of directors. They, often, represented diverse styles of Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Kung-Fu. Allen Steen would authorize individuals, styles, or schools, and/or organizations to form their own AKBBA divisions and groups within the association so that the school's interests and needs would be better served, while he remained the controlling entity.

     Many of the styles, schools, and organizations within the Association would maintain membership in one or more other stylistic associations (JKA, USKA, USTKDA, ITF, AOKA,etc;) and the AKBBA, simultaneously. Some, formed or belonged to their own regional associations, while still, with pride, continuing to wear and promote the AKBBA emblem. In many ways, the AKBBA was a true mother to many of the existing, strong and reputable, regional and national, karate associations in existence today. Many organizations and associations still belong to branches of the AKBBA and continue the tradition of high standards pioneered by the original Steen SWKBBA.

    In the early 1980's, after many years of successful karate school chain ownership and operation and successful tournament promotion, Allen Steen began migrating to other business avenues, settling on the king of all Texas enterprises, the oil business. He began to divest his vast holdings in karate schools and tournaments to various students and friends so he could springboard into his new calling.

     Allen Steen never intended the organization he created to be come the individual property of any one person or group of persons.  In a discussion he had with several members of the AKBBA-CSHK High Dan Board in Houston, Texas in September of 1999, Steen explained it was his intention that any of the Black Belts of his lineage and the lineage of those other founders could use the Association.  He had hoped it would continue long after him.  He never incorporated the Association for that very reason, and stated emphatically that he never sold  the American Karate Black Belt Association, the exclusive rights to use of its emblem,  the name or rights to exclusive use of the name to anyone.

     Most of the original divisions of the AKBBA have gone the way of forming their own organizations. But, two organizational divisions remain active today. Although, both AKBBA divisions share a history of origin, both of these divisions operate entirely independent, one from the other, and have formed their own boards and directors.

      One AKBBAdivision is directed under the patronage of the Chin Sook Hage Kwan High Dan Board, whose members are directly lineaged to the original SWKBBA and AKBBA under Allen Steen and the original Texas Karate Institutes when they were owned and directed by him. This division of the AKBBA is nonprofit oriented and has focused on the standard of performance and practice in the martial arts set by Allen Steen and Pat Burleson in the sixties and seventies.

     The second AKBBA division, was under the direction of the late Walt Mason who purchased one of Allen Steen's TKI schools in Richardson, Texas and other properties in the early eighties. . Mason's use of the names Texas Karate Institute and AKBBA, shares a common heritage from the Texas style of "Rough-and-Tough" karate. Mason, while a ranked martial artist, saw the changes coming to the now highly competitive market in martial arts. Mason, following Allen's forerunner status in the business of martial arts, focused his organization on development and promotion of the business end of martial arts. Several of the original AKBBA Steen line black belts remained associated with Mason's division of the AKBBA, and some, such as the late Ronnie Cox, associated with both organizations. Mason became a Texas pioneer for the 21st Century in the development and promotion of martial arts to new avenues of martial arts school operation, tournament promotion, and kick-boxing promotion. Mason conducted some of the most successful tournaments in the State of Texas, as well as established and successfully ran the TACKA promoting kick-boxing competition in the Southwest. Mason was also instrumental in the growth and development of the AOK (Amateur Organization of Karate) which helped to established uniform tournament standards and judging in the southwest. In 2000 Mason was inducted into the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame in recognition of his promotion of the martial arts, continuing in the Allen Steen tradition.

     Mason in partnership with Texas martial arts veteran, Mr. Barry Guimbellot, a past protege; of James Toney and Skipper Mullins, both original Allen Steen SWKBBA and AKBBA Board Chairmen and Directors; developed schools which produced many fine and talented Black Belts in the Allen Steen tradition. Today, after Mason's untimely death, his son, David Mason (a 6th Degree Black Belt in the Allen Steen lineage) continues to operate and develop in partnership with Mr. Guimbellot, the fine organization developed by his father.

      J. Pat Burleson, from Ft.Worth, Texas, another original member of the SWKBBA owns and operates successful schools, and is a Charter Board Member of the AKBBA. He, also, ran a division of the AKBBA until around 1990, along with his own founded style, The American Karate System.

     Under Allen Steen's direction, the AKBBA had gained the reputation of one of the highest standards in the world in requirements for school quality and belt ranking. Whether it was true or not, the comment was often made that "a Brown Belt's fighting ability from the AKBBA was good for a 3rd Degree Black Belt's most anywhere else."

     After Allen Steen's departure from the helm, many of his highly capable associates and students, who had long been established in their own schools and had obtained national reputations in their own right, began to focus on their own organizations.

     The face of tournament karate changed, and so did the karate school business during the 1980's. The introduction and development of safety gear and the increasing numbers of schools and tournaments, led to a more unified set of rules and practices throughout the country in the open system of tournament competition. The old "Rough-and-Tough Texas Karate" was no longer the standard in the Southwest.

     A number of the original AKBBA black belt group was around, still teaching, and still practicing Texas Karate the rough and tough 1960-70's SWKBBA/AKBBA way. Several attempts to re-establish the standard and tough style were made, but only met with varied levels of success. Many instructors had given up their AKBBA affiliation , and tried forming new organizations. One member of the original SWKBBA and AKBBA, Charles Bouton, still continued to use the independent region that Allen Steen had granted to him in the early 1980's.

     Bouton, originally, came into the SWKBBA in the 1960's as a Dai Ni Gojuryu Black Belt. He began to train in Allen Steen's schools to simultaneously study Tae Kwon Do. Upon achieving black belt certification in Steen's system, Bouton began teaching in Allen Steen's schools, and continued teaching his own Dai Ni Gojuryu students, also.

      When Bouton came out of competition retirement to compete in the 19th United States Karate Championships in Dallas, Texas, he talked with Allen Steen briefly after the tournament, and made arrangements to meet him a couple of weeks later in a newly opened Forest Lane - Texas Karate Institute school, in Dallas, where the former Marsh Lane school had been moved. On March 12, 1981, Allen Steen traveled to Bouton's school in Clarksville, Texas for a belt exam, and to view the standards exercised by Bouton. Approving his level of requirements and proficiency, at that time Allen Steen licensed Bouton to use the AKBBA and to form his own organizational division.

     Bouton continued running his school and teaching in Clarksville for another couple of years and moved, in 1983 to Brownfield, Texas, 35 miles southwest of Lubbock. He continued to teach and became an instructor in the Lubbock - Texas Karate Institute. Bouton later opened his own school, Lubbock Karate, which is now owned and operated by his senior student, John Liles.

     During this period, Bouton happened upon one of his old friends, Richard Jenkins (teacher and mentor) from the original SWKBBA. Jenkins, a Charter Member of the AKBBA and Dallas - Texas Karate Institute gang, was also, remarkably, living in Brownfield. Jenkins was head instructor at his own school, The Brownfield Karate Institute. Bouton and Jenkins joined together to carry on the old "Rough and Tough" Texas style tradition.

     They were previously joined in the effort by another original AKBBA member, Ronnie Cox, of Dallas. Other instructors and school owners such as: John Liles of Lubbock, Gene Groce of Snyder, Danny Kelly of Muleshoe, Billy Wiley of Crosbyton, Tim Adams of Spur, Barney Stansell of Colorado City, Lawrence Perez of Midland/Odessa, Donny Collins of Lovington, N.M., and Tony Aguilar of Hobbs, N.M soon joined the AKBBA region hosted by Bouton, Jenkins and Cox, and brought along their many students.

     In early March of 1986, the name "Chin Sook Hage Kwan" was appended to the name AKBBA to differentiate between the two remaining divisions; the old SWKBBA/AKBBA, to reflect the Texas origin of this now world wide Martial Arts organization,  and the Walt Mason's Dallas based division of the AKBBA .

    The name "Chin Sook Hage Kwan" was derived from another name that the original SWKBBA/AKBBA group had jokingly bantered around, "Texas Kwon Do."   In Korean the word Texas School, being a proper name, would simply be phonetically translated, thus: Texas Kwan. It didn't seem to appeal to the majority of the Black Belt membership. The idea occurred that the name Texas came from the Indian word "Tejas" which, literally, meant: friendly. "Friendly" in Korean is "Chin Sook Hage". "School" in Korean is "Kwan." Thus, the name "Friendly School" or "Chin Sook Hage Kwan" to represent the old idea, "Texas Kwan Do." This name met with enthusiastic and complete approval of the Black Belt group, and Bouton's AKBBA organizational division, now became known as the American Karate Black Belt Association - Chin Sook Hage Kwan (Texas or Friendly School), from that time forth to the present.

     In November of 1997, the decision was made by vote of the High Dan Board and the Board of Directors, on behalf of all AKBBA-CSHK Affiliates and Members to design a new AKBBA Chin Sook Hage Kwan emblem and patch to further emphasize the distinction between the two remaining AKBBA organizational divisions of the Chin Sook Hage Kwan and that of the late Walt Mason.

     This Association, under the guidance of a high dan board composed of six SWKBBA/AKBBA "old timers" from the 60's and 70's, James Toney, 10th Dan;  Keith D. Yates, 10th Dan, Royce Young, 10th Dan; Richard Jenkins, 9th Dan; Charles Bouton, 9th Dan; Tim Vought, 8th Dan; two "second generation" up and comers, Steve Selby, 8th Dan; and Robert Smith, 8th Dan; continues the "Old Texas Standard" with one of the hardest and most demanding first degree black belt promotion requirements in the world. Added to the board in April of 2000 were two well experienced Masters of Torite Jutsu and Okinawan Kempo who recently tested and qualified as 6th Dans under the Texas Blood and Guts Tae Kwon Do style, Thomas P. Muncy, Jr, 10th Dan; and Rick Moneymaker, 9th Dan. In February of 2003, Dr. David Grago, 10th Dan was elected to the High Dan Board to represent the new dantai affiliate the International Chinese Boxing Association World-Wide.

     Ronnie Cox, one of the original members of the High Dan Board and the SWKBBA/AKBBA Texas Karate Institute, was killed a number of years ago while working as an Addison, Tx undercover police officer in a drug raid. He was 6th Dan at the time of his death. On February 1, 2000, Grandmaster Ronnie Cox was posthumously promoted to 9th Dan by unanimous vote of the High Dan Board, and with the approval of our Emeritus officers.

     The American Karate Black Belt Association-Chin Sook Hage Kwan is a Texas Non-Profit Corporation and the High Dan Board serves as the legal Board of Directors. The Board of Affiliates is composed of those "Affiliated Members" of the Association and advises the High Dan Board on the needs of the affiliated schools and organizations in policy making matters. Individuals who rank 3rd Dan and higher and who operate their own schools and clubs compose the affiliate members, and those individuals who head organizations which affiliate with the Association compose the Dantai Affiliates.

  There are currently six Dantai Affiliates, or Organizations which affiliate with the AKBBA-CSHK.  Each has designated representatives serving on the High Dan Board of this Association.  The six current Dantai Affliates are:  Kokusai Dai Ni Gojuryu Karate Kyokai,  Dragon Society International,  Shorin Aikibudo Association, The American Karate and Tae Kwon Do Organization, the International Modern Arnis Federation and the International Chinese Boxing Association World-Wide.

    It is an, obviously, intricate weaving of situations and circumstances that created and continues to pattern and rebuild the AKBBA with its varied and colorful history. It is an involved, interestingly entertaining, and captivating story acted out by a multitude of, often, powerful and unique players who compose a kaleidoscope of remarkable scenes with many differing plots. There are many tales within a tale that can be told by any untold numbers of participants and witnesses. A saga, yet, to be played out; one highly exciting and captivating for those involved.

   The first generation of Allen Steen's original SWKBBA/AKBBA students are past the half century mark in age now, or have been passed on to an eternal Dan to be recreated only through the memories of those who knew them and tell their tales. But, the "Texas Blood and Guts" American Tae Kwon Do style of martial artists, and the high physical and mental standard they lived, breathed, and ate still lives on under the direction and leadership of the High Dan Board.

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