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DR MOSES POWELL

Dr. Moses Powell, a 10th degree black belt and one of the true legends of the martial arts world, was born on January 13, 1941 in Norfolk, Virginia.
He is the founder of Sanuces Ryu, a fighting style that combines his over 45 years of experience in various martial arts. He is a member of both the Black Belt Hall of Fame and the World Karate Hall of Fame. Dr. Powell was the first martial artist invited to demonstrate martial arts at the United Nations and a featured martial arts demonstrator at the New York World's Fair in 1965. The following year in 1966, he was the first martial artist to receive The African Benign Arts Award. Between 1967 and 1968, Dr. Powell pioneered his craft by traveling overseas to the Caribbean. There, he introduced Sanuces Ryu Jiu Jitsu to the island of Jamaica and Trinidad and to Bermuda in the early 1970's. He was inducted into the International African Arts Festival's "Living Legend" Award, and he was also one of the first African-American martial artists to teach the fighting arts to U.S. law enforcement agencies including the Secret Service and FBI. In addition to these great accomplishments, the Benin Empire of West Africa awarded him the international Benin Award in 1972 for his community work and efforts throughout the world.

Dr. Powell was deeply committed to sharing his knowledge and principles with all. He helped ex-offenders by teaching them self-respect, self-control and honesty through the martial arts. Dr. Powell was featured in "Masters of the Martial Arts", "Warrior Within" and many other films. His Sanuces Ryu system is unparalleled in its combat effectiveness and brute simplicity.

In January of 2003, Dr. Powell said, "I have been called the Pioneer, the Missionary, and the Lumberjack of Martial Arts. When I think about it, I'd like to be remembered as the man I am...Moses Powell. It's not about making yourself anything; but it is about earning your rewards as you go along. Remember, there is no such think as a book master, you have to fight in the trenches or on the mat...I want young people to realize that there is a history to look up to, and a path of greatness to follow and further pave.

Quoting one of his students:
"To list all of his accomplishments, honors and awards would be impossible. To say he made a difference would be an understatement. He was a man chosen to be great. What he made of that greatness is what truly separated him from other men. He gave over 50 years of his life to Martial Arts. It was his love and his life and most of all it was what he believed in and trusted. He was a natural teacher. A "let me show you" kind of man. And when he showed you, you knew you had experienced something powerful enough to change lives."

Dr Moses Powell passed away on January 22, 2005 due to respiratory failure.