The Karate Institute of African-American Influence (KIAI) exists to honor and continue the legacy of our Founders, Sokes, Masters, Teachers, Active Schools, Black Belts, and Practitioners by researching, preserving, teaching, and promoting the rich history, contributions, and continuing influence of African Americans in the development and advancement of karate and the martial arts.

We are committed to preserving the values, discipline, wisdom, and traditions of martial arts excellence while fostering unity, service, shared knowledge, encouragement, leadership, cultural awareness, and community. KIAI serves as a home for the martial arts sisterhood and brotherhood, strengthening today's practitioners and building bridges for future generations.

The story of the Karate Institute of African-American Influence (KIAI) begins long before its official founding. Its roots reach back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, when martial arts first began gaining popularity throughout the United States. Among the earliest pioneers were determined African-American men and women who entered the dojo with the same passion, discipline, and commitment as anyone else. They trained tirelessly, competed with distinction, and demonstrated exceptional skill and unwavering loyalty to their instructors and schools. Yet, during a period when racial barriers still existed in many areas of American society, some practitioners encountered obstacles that limited opportunities for advancement, recognition, leadership, or promotion. Rather than allowing those challenges to define them, these pioneers chose another path.