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DR. JERRY BEASLEY
Chairman of AIKIA, 9th Degree Black Belt
Dr. Jerry Beasley, Radford University’s Martial Arts Professor:
Punching and kicking his way to the top
by Travis McWayne
Inside Karate magazine called him “the published authority
on American karate.” Black Belt magazine recognized him as
America’s foremost
martial arts educator. Martial Arts Professional magazine listed his birthday
in Dates with Destiny “celebrating prominent people and events for December.” And
Karate International magazine noted that “His name is recognized worldwide
as one of the top writers in the field” and “the nation’s
top (martial arts) camp director.” When it comes to high quality martial
arts instruction, Radford University’s Dr. Jerry Beasley has risen to
the top in his field.
He began martial arts instruction in 1966 in the Oyama
style but switched to the tae kwon do moo duk kwon in 1968, in which he was
promoted to assistant instructor in 1969. A student of grand masters Soo
Lee and Ju Kim, Beasley received private
lessons from the latter for one year. As a college student, he was
privileged to study a variety of arts from instructors from China,
Korea, and Japan. Arts such as jiujitsu, hapkido, wing chun, and
tai chi were commonly available to the college community.
Although
he never abandoned his Korean martial
arts roots (achieving 9th dan in 2003)
Beasley branched out to study exclusively with Grand Master Joe
Lewis, from whom he received his 6th, 7th, and 8th dan ranks in
the hard-contact Joe Lewis style. In 1999, Beasley was awarded the
9th dan in a highly publicized ceremony including Professor Wally
Jay and Grand Master Michael DePasquale, Sr. (Also in attendance
were several East Coast legendary masters and champions Joe Lewis
and Bill Wallace.)
Tom Destry, book reviewer for Karate and Fitness
International, noted that “Dr.
Beasley’s office at Radford University has become an honest to goodness
martial arts laboratory.” Regarding Beasley’s 1982 book, American
Karate: The Master Text, Destry writes, “The author has recorded, in
his own unmistakable style, an easy to read, yet intellectually stimulating,
history of karate in the United States. Beginning with the Gold Rush of 1849,
Beasley has recorded every major event, and categorized them as significant
eras that result in the development of American-style martial arts.”
Dr.
Beasley followed the success of The Master Text with In Search of the Ultimate
Martial Art in 1988, Way of No Way in 1992, and The Greatest Karate Fighter
of All Time, published in 1998. The "Jeet Kune Do Experience" was
published in 2000 and followed by the much acclaimed "Mastering Karate" in
2002 In addition to these six books, Beasley has authored more than 100
articles published in every major martial arts journal. To satisfy demand
for his instruction, Dr. Beasley has been the featured artist in 10 martial
arts instructional videos. In 1998, he completed a five-tape series on
Jeet Kune Do for Panther Video (San Clemente, California), the world’s
leading martial arts instructional video producer. Since that time, his
videos have sold worldwide.
And who benefits from the international attention
which Dr. Beasley receives? Both his students at the university and the
more than 3,600 black belts whom he has supervised through AIKIA—the
first independent martial arts teachers organization. Members may attend
the world famous Karate College martial arts camp (now in its 19th year),
hosted by Beasley each summer. Students have an opportunity at the camp
to meet such martial arts legends as world champions Bill Wallace, Joe
Lewis, and Renzo Gracie, movie stars like Fumio Demura (the man who doubled
as Mr. Miyagi in the popular Karate Kid movies), Olympic gold medalist
Herb Perez (taekwon do), and the official martial arts instructor to
the United States Senate, Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee.
Beasley, an 8th degree
black belt in Joe Lewis Karate/Kickboxing, was a top rated writer/promoter
of Bruce Lee’s art of Jeet Kune Do in the 1990s
and has even worked with martial arts superstar Chuck Norris. The fact
is that both Beasley and Norris were inducted into the 1989 World Martial
Arts Hall of Fame in Cincinnati, Ohio. Yet Beasley feels most at home
in the college classroom. In fact, he designed his own martial arts
curriculum in college. A 1985 Inside Karate article states, “You
won’t
find it in a college classroom. In fact, Dr. Jerry Beasley, Radford
University professor, may be the only man in the United States to possess
a post graduate degree in the martial arts.”
In 1986, Beasley
designed the first ever multicultural martial arts option at Radford
University. A 1998 issue of Martial Arts Training states that “Radford
University boasts perhaps the country’s only legitimate martial
arts curriculum.” Each summer, Beasley serves as consultant
to more than 200 martial arts schools throughout the United States
and Canada. With constant research and publishing, and networking
and training, it’s no wonder
Dr. Beasley is able to stay informed on the latest martial arts technology.
He gives back to his members and students state-of-the-art information.
It is for this reason that Radford University is known as the Mecca
of martial arts cross training methodologies, and AIKIA and Karate
College have become world famous for high levels of service and performance.
With so much national and international exposure, it’s surprising
that Dr. Beasley has received very little press in his hometown. “I
like it that way,” Beasley says. This way, he can—and
does—volunteer
his time, without fanfare, to teach free of charge to women’s
group, senior citizens, and others. He runs a small club at Community
Christian Academy (Christiansburg, Virginia) which has contributed
more than \$5,000 to benefit Christian education.
In May 1999,
Beasley received the award for “Outstanding Scholarly Activity” from
Radford University’s College of Education and Human Development
and was promoted to the rank of professor. That same month Beasley
also received the Outstanding Alumni Award in sociology from his
alma mater, Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Va.). Having previously
appeared on the covers of three martial arts magazines, including
Inside Karate, Inside Kung Fu, and Karate International, Beasley
was invited to pose for the cover of the September 1998 issue of
Black Belt magazine, the world’s leading self defense magazine.
In 2000 Dr. Beasley was inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall
of Fame as Instructor of the Year. More recently, Dr. Beasley has
earned a U.S. patent and trademark for his invention of the Road
Rage Reducer, an inter-vehicular communication device that may
eventually change the way we think about highway and interstate
driving. Whether he is teaching, researching, writing about, or
promoting martial arts instruction, Beasley can be counted on to
provide a quality effort. Perhaps Karate International said it
best when they noted that Dr. Beasley is considered “the
top in his field.”
Dr. Beasley at a Glance
1966: Begins martial arts instruction in kenpo and Oyama-style karate
1968: Begins instruction in tae kwon do moo duk kwon (tang soo do) with Master
Soo Lee
1971: Earns 1st dan in tae kwon do under Master Ju Kim; opens tae kwon do
school
1972: Begins ITF-style tae kwon do; opens club at a community college; studies
hapkido
1973: Earns 2nd dan in tae kwon do under Master Hosik Kang; earns B.A. degree
in philosophy from Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Va.); begins karate club at Radford
University (Radford, Va.)
1974: Earns 3rd dan in ITF-style tae kwon do from Master James Lee; begins
kickboxing and full-contact karate
1975: Begins study of shaolin kung fu; advances in study of jiujitsu; 1975
National All-Star Taekwon Do Champion
1976: Studies boxing and judo; 1976 American All-Star National Taekwon Do
Champion
1977: Earns M.S. degree in sociology from Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Va.);
promoted to 4th dan tae kwon do
1978: Publishes first article in Karate Illustrated
1979: Begins AIKIA
1980: Earns 5th dan in tae kwon do; opens full-time AIKIA karate studio; earns
Doctor of Education degree from Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Va.); begins study
of wing chun and tai chi, Continuous advancement in hapkido and tang soo do
1981: Travels to Raleigh, N.C., to spar with Joe Lewis; becomes Lewis’ student;
travels to Charlotte, N.C., to study JKD/kali with Dan Inosanto; receives 2nd
dan in hapkido
1982: Becomes editor of Karate Digest magazine; publishes first book
1983: Joe Lewis joins AIKIA; AIKIA begins national advertising and promotions
1985: Takes an assignment as writer/promoter for the American Ninjutsu Federation;
receives 6th dan JLAKS (Joe Lewis American Karate Systems)
1986: Begins multicultural martial arts option at Radford University (Radford,
Va.); receives title “Czar of Sport Ninjutsu” from Martial Arts
Stars magazine (Los Angeles, Calif.)
1988: Publishes first JKD book (Paladin Press); begins Karate College summer
camp
1989: Inducted into World Martial Arts Hall of Fame (Ohio) and other halls
of fame
1990: Promoted to 7th dan JLAKS. Introduces the Mixed Martial Arts format
at Karate College.
1992: Largest Karate College draws 485 participants; receives 5th dan in jiujitsu
(Canada); Bill Wallace joins AIKIA
1993: Publishes third book, Way of No Way; promotes first original JKD camp
1995: Promoted to 8th dan JLAKS (also signed by Bill Wallace and presented
with top-name martial arts personalities in attendance, including Gokor Chivichian)
1996: Heads college division at World Conference in Washington, D.C., with
108 countries represented. Promoted to Full Professor, Department of Excercise,
Sport and Health Education, Radford University.
1997: Produces through Panther Video a tape series entitled JKD Scientific
Street Fighting
1998: Featured on the cover of Black Belt magazine; promoted to 9th dan tae
kwon do (World Headmasters Sokeship Renmei, Europe); JKD Hall of Fame (England)
1999: Receives 9th dan from Professor Wally Jay and Professor Michael DePasquale,
Sr. (IFOJJ), with Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace (who received 10th dan) in attendance
2000: Receives U.S. patent and trademark for inventing the Road Rage Reducer "Polite-Lite",
an inter-vehicular communication device. Publishes "The Jeet Kune Do Experience."
2001: Receives 8th dan and becomes president of American Moo Duk Kwan Council
as designated inheritor of the system from first (1968) instructor, Grand Master
Whitman Davis, 10th dan.
2002: Publishes "Mastering Karate" for Human Kinetics; Completes
a 100k grant for the National Institute of Health on Road Rage
2003: Introduces first "mixed martial arts" national association
(WFMMA) at Karate College.
2004: Poses for his second Black Belt Magazine cover.
2005: Develops www.citizensagainstroadrage.org. Whose goal is to establish
state chapters to reduce road rage through highway courtesy.
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