Ed Parker's lineage.
Ed Parker never appointed a true successor to his style before he passed away. Unfortunately this paved the way for many of his past assosciates & students to claim that they are the true descendents and keepers of the Kenpo lineage (Not just Olaf Simon). Ed Parker Family Tree: http://www.kenponet.com/flame/tree/p/ed_parker.html Note that Olaf Simon is not even on this list, even though Simon claims he was awarded a 7th degree Black Belt from Edmund Parker. Links to websites from other top students & friends of Ed Parkers: Larry Tatum http://www.ltatum.com/ Al Tracy http://www.tracyskarate.com/ Chuck Sullivan http://www.karateconnection.com/index.html Have an opinion?

First of all , congratulations to the late Ed Parker Sr. As the Father of American Karate, a most richly deserved title! Probably the most important figure in the American Martial Art scene since...well since ever! The list of people that he has helped is most impressive, both inside the Kenpo organization and with so many of the other Martial Arts, truly he passed away far too young, a great loss! Who is his successor, in the one interview I read he claimed to want Larry Tatum, was that because Mr. Tatum never broke ranks with Parker, as some of Parker's previous students had? What about Parker's other notable students, he had so many! What about Simon? Not as a successor but where exactly does he fit into this? There must have been some type of association, unfortunately everyone will have their own agenda on that matter.

Hello Cam, Here is a link to a site about Larry Tatum’s claim, http://www.tracyskarate.com/AmKenpo/Tatum.htm It is, apparently, a very large controversy in American Kenpo circles. Go to the forum button on Kenpo Talk. About half way down the page, They have an entire section devoted to pages on the various factions. Here is the link. http://kenpotalk.com/ Regards, MrE2Me2

I don't know a great deal on this subject but I expect you guys will educate me some. Doesn't Ed Parker's son now run his old school in Pasadena, if so how does he factor into this controversy?

Hello Current Student, I read something like that too. But I also have read that there are others who dispute that. I'll look into it and get back to you. Regards, MrE2Me2

I spoke to his son (Ed Parker Jr.) and he has very little do do with MA in general, he is more of an "artist" in the truer sense. I'm not saying he doesn't run the school, I am just telling you what he told me.

To all, I just did a short search on the net for Ed Parker Jr. Here is what I found. On the one hand, He is a talented artist who makes no claims of being a Kenpo instructor. http://edparkerjr.com/Art%20Site/Welcome.html On the other hand, Wiki identifies him as a martial arts practitioner. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Parker_Jr. To further confuse the issue, Here is a link showing him conducting a seminar on martial arts. http://www.kenpomachine.com/edparkerjrseminar.html Yet if we go to an American Kenpo Family Tree, we find this, http://www.georgiakenpo.net/lineage/tree00.htm I found no evidence that Ed Parker Jr. is trying for the title. I don’t think he factors in, based on what I’ve read. Perhaps there is someone else here, who knows more? Regards, MrE2Me2

To all, After some surfing, I found these. Houston American Kenpo Training Platform http://ikenpo.com/at_the_movies.html First up is Ed Parker giving a short vid on sophisticated basics. I wasn't quite sure where to put this. However, this thread does bear his name so... Regards, MrE2Me2

To all Ed PARKERS KEMPO. Something to watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFSUPDGvFVM and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V391liNpDlU&mode=related&search= that last one looks like there is about 10 clips of that seminar if you look on you tube. sifu shawn

Hi Sifu Shawn, Just as a side note, I was once in Pasadena and visited Ed Parkers studio. At that time and until it closed (as I was led to belive) it was run by his son-in law Larry Con****, I'm not sure of his last name. There isn't a website, that I have been able to find again, for the studio. As I remember, it had been in business since 1956, in the same location, and was a very modist size and had NO change rooms. The students came partially dressed fror class. Ronin Brent

Hello Ronin, Welcome to the forum. Uh…your nic is familiar. Didn’t we correspond a few years ago? My computer crashed at one point and I lost all my contacts. Regards, MrE2Me2

Hello Ronin, Very interesting, Would this be Ronin MAY???? by chance??? sifu shawn

Woops My computer double posted somehow. Fixed it sifu shawn

Hi Guys, Yes to both of you See you soon Sifu Shawn Ronin

Ronin,, Yes to both of you See you soon Sifu Shawn Thats to cool. I am glad you are posting. And yes I will see ya in the near future.... Just heading out to innisfail in about 20 minutes come to think of it. Sifu Shawn