The chart below outlines the martial art lineage of Henry Slomanski, the Grand Masters, and those who trained under them. There is one person listed that was banned from continued training under Wallace Reumann’s tutelage.  On the very last box of the chart listed is the name, James Cheatham. This man had fallen out of good graces with Master Reumann and thus resulted in his disassociation with Henry Slomanski and the Grand Master’s karate teachings.  This has been confirmed by Reumann’s daughter Janet as well.

                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      .........................................................................................................................................................

The main problem that raised initial concern was Mr. Cheatham’s alleged association with the Black Panthers and other affiliations with the Nation of Islam. As a result of these new connections, he was no longer recognized as a student of Reumann’s. We have done extensive research in order to represent the facts of our lineage and it is clear that Cheatham was denounced. Cheatham went on his own, created his version of a martial art after being banished by Master Reumann. It has been told that he trained people who hated what Henry Slomanski and everyone else who were in military stood for. These correlations are made by one of his alleged students.   Command Sgt. Major Slomanski fought for Cheatman’s right to do this, ironically.  A master of a Dojo and a true martial artist would not be associated with anyone who would try to hurt our country, let alone train the people to do it.  If the statements are true which they appear to be, what he was teaching could have been and most likely was, at times used on law enforcement personnel trying to protect the American people.

During this period in time, the Black Panthers were a extremely radical group who were totally against the government, military personnel, police, etc.  Mr. Cheatham was the head of his Dojo therefore accountable and responsible for his students and how he trained them, and for what purpose . It is represented by some in other places on the Internet and by a lower grade belt under Cheatham, that they knew the Dojo was Black Panthers. James Cheatam was given control over Reumann’s dojo’s in Newark and went on to totally disgrace his Master and himself as a militant. He took something honorable and changed it to be a radical teaching. Some pride themselves in this style by renaming it  as an attempt to disguise it’s history and to claim a high rank which is disgusting. I guess Cheatam’s unethical teachings still continue with the people who claim they trained in his history. We do not recognize them or their belts as being legitimate.

We have no personal knowledge of the person making the claim, but this is being used  just  as a reference point. The story has always flourished and was left  to settle by Master Ruemann. We do not know if this person was really a student as any certifications can be created. They certainly were at a beginners ranks at best.  When the site is even mentioned to others in the martial arts a entire new issue arises in the eye of many  Masters.   We have no way of knowing who is authentic or not, without proof. Therefore, you can judge for yourself, we cast no stones at anyone. The Internet can make anyone inflate themselves in an attempt to bolster their ego . We have seen many certificates  floating around that could be considered very questionable. Like those where the names and titles are real dark and clear and the signatures of the instructors are faint .  It is assumed that they would have been signed on the same day with the same pen. These documents should be made public for viewing if they are real and not tapered with.

    Henry Slomanski was in the Airborne, pro military, and all about the United States of America. He trained Wallace Reumann, and with Reumann being a military man himself, these core values of respect and honor were instilled into the teachings of karate throughout the lineage. Reumann, a firm believer in the military philosophies, must have been embarrassed that one of his students went rogue. Cheatham’s new viewpoints were something he would have been totally against. This would have traveled up the line onto Slomanski and thus he would have had nothing to do with this guy either. We believe that, most likely, Slomanski chastised Reumann for training a man with these ideals. To date, there is no documentation or legitimate proof that Cheatham was trained under the “old style”. It is known for a fact that Reumann was teaching two versions of karate at the time of Cheatham’s instruction. Now, Cheatham may not be associated or connected to the Slomanski training in anyway. Contrary to what others try to claim

    At this point, it is crucial to clear up a few misconceptions; FIRST and FOREMOST, Reumann did not have the authority, under Slomanski or Dr. Chitose, to promote above a brown belt in the “old style”. There were only two people in the world that had permission to award higher than a brown belt in the “old style” under Chitose and Slomanski in the USA. Those two men were Melvin L. Sauer and John B. Burkhardt. This authority was given to them by way of a phone call from Slomanski and it was dually noted that they were the only ones given this privilege. So, putting the pieces together, how could anyone else stake claim to possessing this authority? If Reumann went rogue and actually promoted beyond a brown belt then it would not have been sanctioned by the Commissioner or Dr. Chitose and thus worthless in the “old style”. No person or organization has been able to prove anything contrary as of yet, by way of first hand knowledge or legal documentation. Now, considering the other style Reumann was teaching, he had different authorities in the “new style Chito Ryu.” This style was watered down tremendously from the old for various reasons.  It was a sport version. Reumann had the authority, in this “new” style alone, to promote above a brown belt. However, any of those belts issued would not be recognized by or affiliated with anyone training under the “old style”. The “new style” was developed to make money. Chitose stated, and it will be paraphrased, money could not be made training this hard. We must adapt to get many students.

    This is a very fragile history and it is crucial that things be accurate. People who write articles and books should know the proper protocol.  Authoring a book or article does not make someone the foremost expert on a topic. The leading experts are the foremost authority on “old style” karate. Therefore, people should ask those who were part of the Slomanski training, or a Master Instructor under him, for the correct information.  Those who make various claims, like a correlation to the old style through Cheatham, have either: forged documents; Reumann himself went rogue; or the truth is being erroneously spun to fit self-indulgent truths. I would say these stories are more brag then fact without any verified connection on which to base their claims. This is not a negative article.  It is about trying to make the right connections, in an honorable and  truthful outline of a lineage, in hopes to weed out the false stories and claims.

    These issues are being addressed because there are those out there that are trying to make these incredulous claims.  It is our hopes that this article points out accurate accounts and connections and lends the reader to the realization that other claims are incredulous. We understand that if one trained in the Cheatham dojo, it is hard  for a student not to believe in what you studied, as there is a need to believe in your instructor. I guess this is easy to do if you accepted things at face value and did not delve into the truth. I would think many people would see, being his student, that they are indirectly just as much of a sympathizer to these causes.  As a low level belt or even a middle level, you would not know his motives for teaching other students. You certainly would not know this if you were Caucasian. Its subliminal meaning could have blinded the poor students who believed in their Master.  Having said all of this, I am not taking away how he was trained before he became an alleged Black Panther.  The  questions still linger who sanctioned the matches he and many others; won or participated in? Did Chitose, Slomanski, Reumann approve of them? Did they attend?  Who promoted the belts there , under what name and style?  It is not observed in photos of that time,any one wearing Chito patches on their gi’s  at least in some of the photos that many have viewed. It was asked of several martial arts expert of the era to identify for this page what insignia was on their gi. Was it the Goju fist? Hmmm. So once again who sanctioned some of the matches?

    Cheatham’s belt system was also different then what it should have been if he was trained under a Slomanski system. And, as you could guess, he changed the sacred crest and symbol designed by the Grand Master’s. This seal is on many legitimate certificates dating back to 1965 under John Burkhardt. (See Photo Below) It is strongly theorized by many, Cheatham did this to fit his alleged radical beliefs and insult others who no longer accepted him. I ask anyone to compare the original crest to the symbol Cheatham changed, was it for for the movement?  If he did have ties to the Black Panthers then this would all clearly fit. Upon comparison, his symbol is more of the fist of the Panthers than that with the ancient honorable history. I would suggest you draw your own conclusions once again.

    If you were to read other articles, they would like you to believe Cheatham’s symbol and change were honorable and something to be proud of. Would anyone change the symbol of his or her own family crest that stood for 100’s of years? No, they would be proud and display it unless you got kicked out of the family. The altered seal will not be posted on here to compare, as it is a recreation and a dishonor to all who stood for and trained under the original. It was changed by someone who had no right to change it and allegedly brought tons of dishonor to his master,himself, his students and not by race, but by way of his philosophies and beliefs.  If he was a Black Panther?  Should you accidentally come across it, please take the time to compare it to the original from Dr. Chitose and the radical group. If you were going to make a change after being ostracized, why did you not make a complete change? Why try to confuse the public? It still resembles the original seal. I would think that if you were in staunch opposition then make a clean break from this style. Yet, if one did not look closely, you would assume the two were alike or the same seal. You, as the reader have the right to come up with a different conclusion or opinion after looking at the history and the man this site is about.

    This site is about Henry Slomanski and his life. Do you think for one second he would have recognized Cheatham or any student Cheatham trained? Anyone who trained under the lineage of Cheatham, and tries to make claim of ties to Henry Slomanski’s teachings, is insulting Slomanski and everything he stood for. One day these people may be held accountable to Henry, if they make it to the “Pearly Gates”. I am sure Henry Slomanski, Melvin Sauer, and Wallace Reumann would love to greet them to settle what is right.

    In the last several months, before this site was to go up, plenty of research was done. Many marital artists around the world were consulted on this issue alone. One main thing was for them to review the fist and investigate what was going on during that era.  Most all agreed there is a strange connection to the organization, his alleged associations by former students, and the design of the crest. All agreed it was dishonorable to create so a close resemblance. That is why the honorable crest has been posted. This crest is original and what the Grand Masters,Henry Slomanski, Wallace Reumann, Melvin Sauer, Joseph Virtue, John Burkhardt, and Elvis Presley stood for in their training. 

    The American way is about freedom of speech, but with that comes propaganda and lies. Therefore draw your own conclusions of what would be honorable or not, or if Cheatham was a Black Panther.  The main message I hope to drive home is that who ever tries to make claim to Slomanski by way of Cheatham, I asked you, as a reader, to think of all aspects. If one had honor in his teachings, you would be proud of everything including your training, your instructor, and what the certificates stood for and the symbols on them. One would not change the symbol to fit an anti-American radical group when the founders of a style were honorable and the Commissioner was pro military. It appears his devotions and loyalties were to another cause, which was not that of a true martial artist, and the way of it’s teachings.

    We merely wish to put the truth out there about the Commissioner of Karate and relieve the world of any false misconceptions from others as well know it to be. 

    People seek out the past for various reasons, but without the past what does the present really mean? Not to mention, what if the information you receive about the past is obscured with false details? Who can you really trust to get the absolute truth? This website and its affiliates are the absolute undeniable truth as it pertains to Henry Slomanski and the karate lineage.

    We would like to thank John Burkhardt for the seal below and other pertinent information pertaining to this topic.

Ken Mac Adams was Soke Burkhardt’s first senior grade blue belt that was awarded in “old style” in his dojo.  His dojo was located on Broadway in Gloucester City, New Jersey.  As seen on this forty four year old certificate, (furnished by John Burkhardt), Ken Mac Adams was awarded this belt on December 29, 1965. His certificate says “Chito Style” . The seal on the bottom of the certificate and the Japanese wording on it at the bottom reads “Kempo Karate” with the Goju Ryu fist in the middle.  It talks about all three styles and forms on the certificate. No one in the world was using a certificate with the seal on it, at that time as far  as we can establish. As you can see, it included Commissioner Slomanski’s name on the bottom,as Commissioner of the United States Hawaii and Alaska. By us showing the certificate dated 1965  and the buckle, it shows that John Burkhardt was the only one using this seal. John Burkhardt, at the time, had no idea that Chitose had written a book using the same identical seal, which shows how it all ties together as a true lineage to the Grand Masters and Henry Slomanski.

Below is Grand Master Al Tracy’s blog on his site. Note how he references the certificate that is indisputable. The only thing he left out was Slomanski was the 3rd highest rank belt in the world under the Emperor and the two Grand Masters. and trained in 3 styles, Chito, Goju, Kempo.  Great Job Grand Master Tracy.

AL Tracy, Grand Master Kempo Karate United States, Posted 2/1/2010.

TRACY BLOG

Week 1 archive  Week 2 archive  Week 3/4               Business Blog

Sun 02/01/10

I want to thank Mrs. Slomanski, John B. Burkhardt and Mr. Usui for making this important historical information available to the entire world.

I suggest that you use a color printer to make a copy of Henry Slomanski's Certificate - for your own personal records. There may come the day that this information is no longer available on the web. Note: Henry Slomanski was promoted under KEMPO KARATE. And look at all the top martial artists in Japan who either signed his diploma or attached their seal! Click on the first link below.

http://www.henryslomanski.com/Commissioner_Henry_Slomanski/Slomanski_Certificate_Translation.html

August 1, 1956

Japan Martial Arts Karate Promotion Association, Tokyo Headquarters

           President, Tokyo Headquarters   

                   Master Teacher   Gichin Funakoshi

                   Master Teacher   Juuhatsu Kyoda

                        (Stamp of Kyushu Headquarters President)

Japan Martial Arts Karate Promotion Association, Association Headquarters

Japan Martial Arts Karate Goju Group, Kyushu Regional Headquarters

           Kyushu Regional Headquarters

                   President Master  Tsuyonao Chitose

                        (Stamp of Tsuyonao Chitose)

Japan Martial Arts Karate Goju Group

           President, Eastern Headquarters   Gogen Yamaguchi

Below are several more links that will take you to information never before available.

http://www.henryslomanski.com/Commissioner_Henry_Slomanski/Welcome_to_Henry_Slomanski.html

http://www.henryslomanski.com/Commissioner_Henry_Slomanski/Slo_Ryu_Up_in_Arms_-_Bent_Arms.html

http://www.henryslomanski.com/Commissioner_Henry_Slomanski/Henry_Slomanski_Dedication.html

http://www.elvischitoryu.com/

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4553288465119637205&hl=en#

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

For years Kenpo/Kempo was regarded as the *bastard child* of the Martial Arts. All the critics would maintain that there WAS no Kenpo/Kempo in Japan and that James Mitose could not prove that Kempo/Kenpo even existed in Japan. Many claimed he was a liar and fraud. You will note from the link to the family tree that Kempo was the original style of all the Martial Arts.

When Henry Slomanski mentioned to both Ed Parker and Elvis Presley that he was ranked in Kempo/Kenpo they did not pay much attention. Since Henry was an "Island Boy",  Ed Parker assumed that he had studied Kenpo in Hawaii just as Ed Parker did.

We have known this information for several years ...but we did not feel it was appropriate for us to post it since we did not have in our possession the actual certificate and documentation. We also knew this would cause quite an uproar in the Japanese Martial Arts community - mostly because they still do not know how to handle this new historical documentation. It seems all the top Japanese Karate organizations were united under KEMPO!

Once again I want to thank Mrs. Slomanski, John Burkhardt, and Mr. Usui who did the translation.

I hope that all those who question the history that James Mitose gave us will admit they were wrong and do some original research, rather than denying the facts.

As of now the Japanese Karate community has been pretty quiet about the above information.

Below is one more link to one of my web pages with more information regarding Kempo/Kenpo in Japan. This information has been posted for several years. But the Martial Arts experts have chosen to ignore it. Now, with new documentation, it is even more important if you want the true history of Kempo/Kenpo

http://www.tracyskarate.com/History/Documentation/Jujit1904.htm

Over time MUCH more information will be added. For now we give all of you some time to go over all this new information.

After you've had a chance to go over the documentation I will point out important facts and give you more information that only we (TRACY'S) have

Banished by Reumann

copyright © 2009 - 2010 HenrySlomanski.com // All Rights Reserved