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FRED (Olu Balogun) HAMILTON
Traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate-Jitsu
1925-1986
Traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate-Jitsu Practioner/Instructor/Promoter
Traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate-do Practioner/Instructor/Promoter
KodokanJudo Practioner/Instructor
African Martial Arts Master Practioner/Instructor/Promoter
Afro-Centric American Traditional Martial Arts Master Instructor/Promoter
Martial Arts Promoter
The Master began his Karate-do training
in Japan in the 1940's. From 1968-1973 Master Hamilton
used karate in conjunction with Operation Helping Hand, a program
for inner city youth which produced major results, keeping thousands
of kids (and adults) off the crime riddled streets of Harlem. He
extended his efforts by lending his hand in many prison and college
and University programs providing extensive information, knowledge
and demosnstrations.In the year of 1975 Master hosted the first
bare-knuckle full-contact professional karate tournament in the
country. In 1975 the Master hosted the first BARE-KNUCKLE
full-contact professional karate tournament in the country. Along
with this, he was also the first promoter to allow women to
fully participate in all categories of martial arts competition.
It is a wonderful thing to "know" who your
instructor was. Growing up in Harlem (New
York) was a task/survival in the 60's, in those
times training was raw, oftentimes bordering
on brutality. Sparring was a thing (like
everything in our dojo) that was taken and given
seriously. Periodically you would dish-out
a whippin and sometimes you would take a whippin
but we all went home as friends and family. I
am truely honored and grateful to have been
graced with his martial as well as everyday
life teachings and nurturings.
What I have however, is very very, very first
hand memories of Grandmaster. Raymond McRinna "Shihan".
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