GREAT
MASTERS OF MARTIAL ARTS HISTORY
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.
