The Lineage of
Ken Zen Ichii Karate
GENESIS:The Soil - Gichin Funakoshi - As a young boy Grichin Funakoshi studied various Okinawa martial arts styles. In a series of demonstrations from 1917 - 1922 he introduced Japan to the art of karate. He would later move to Japan to promote and advance the art that would later be named Shotokan. He is now often refered to as "The Father of Karate."
The Root - Hironori Ohtsuka - Originaly a student of Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu, Hironori Ohtsuka would later become a direct student of Gichin Funakoshi. In 1926 he founded the Wado-Ryu Ju-jitsu system.
The Trunk - Arthur Beverford - Originaly a student of Hironori Ohtsuka's Wado Ryu karate during his time in Japan. Arthur Beverford founded the Ken Zen Ichii Karate system in the mid 1960's.
One Branch - Orlando Centeno - Studied directly under Arthur Beverford and received instruction in both Wado Ryu and Ken Zen Ichii karate. It was Orlando Centeno who introduced and trained Dwight Childress in the arts of Wado Ryu and Ken Zen Ichii.
The Fruit - Dwight Childress - Innovator, and current head of the BSR branch of Ken Zen Ichii karate in North America, Soke Childress has internalized and propagated Ken Zen Ichii to the following and current Seed:
| 1. | John Dugger | 21. | Donald Smith | 41. | Suspended Indefinitely | 61. | Chris Bennett |
| 2. | Dallas Picket | 22. | James Smith | 42. | Gloria Baker | 62. | Joseph Barber |
| 3. | Dazell Green | 23. | Emanuel Thomas | 43. | Al Short | 63. | Antoinette Montgomery |
| 4. | James Deyo | 24. | Nazzeeh Shabazz | 44. | Michelle Caraway | 64. | Sue LaFond |
| 5. | Leroy Hancock | 25. | Leslie Clark | 45. | Harry Parker | 65. | Muhammad Shamsiddeen |
| 6. | Chester Stone | 26. | Brian Smith | 46. | Sequane Lee | 66. | Palo Childress |
| 7. | Norman Tillery (Kyoshi) | 27. | Gail Wilson | 47. | Jennifer Underwood | 67. | Nigel Edwards |
| 8. | Larry Williams | 28. | Cortland James | 48. | Hoang Nhat Le | 68. | John Casisa |
| 9. | Jack Johnson | 29. | Larry Lee | 49. | Vincent Montgomery (Shihan) | 69. | Anthony Little |
| 10. | David Arnold (Kyoshi) | 30. | Rene Otero (Salim Muhammad) | 50. | Anthony Scott Dellinger | 70. | Loren Gray |
| 11. | Ronnie James | 31. | Loren Bellamy | 51. | Adam Vonolhausen | 71. | Joseph Liggera Sr. |
| 12. | Ronnie Nelson (Kyoshi) | 32. | Dwayne McLinton | 52. | Anthony Leary (Kyoshi) | 72. | Tim Wessleman |
| 13. | Antonio Culbreth | 33. | Alex Pelish | 53. | Todd Langdon | 73. | Trenton Bullock |
| 14. | Wali Bomani (Shihan) | 34. | Michael Williams | 54. | Nathan Brown (Shihan) | 74. | Clive Wilson |
| 15. | Teddy Clark | 35. | Marshal Shamsiddeen | 55. | Marc Zeller | 75. | Debbie Wilkinson |
| 16. | Ricky Anderson | 36. | Abeer Mahal Jweinat | 56. | Chad Adams | 76. | Chris Kelly |
| 17. | Thomas Skovan | 37. | Vernon Bradshaw | 57. | Michael Calabrase | 77. | Amur El |
| 18. | Ron Ling (Kyoshi) | 38. | Johnnie Howard | 58. | Myra Catala | ||
| 19. | Gerald Dyer | 39. | Lindsey Nicholson | 59. | Paris Nile Childress | ||
| 20. | Mack Lewis | 40. | George Watts | 60. | Steven Kalinoski |
With deep gratitude, Soke Childress acknowledges the influence of Mahn Suh Parks, his first Instructor. From Mahn Suh Parks, we learned "To live in the valley."