In the span of the last seven decades, the global growth, achievements, and heightened awareness of Martial Arts owe much to the contributions of numerous Masters, champions and stars featured on this list.
The editorial team at Black Belt acknowledges that, for many years, the magazine lacked diverse coverage across race and gender. While this list doesn't alter historical oversights, it serves as a recognition of the past.
Moving forward, there is a commitment to embracing diverse global coverage as we progress into the next generation of martial arts. Here is a special feature on Black Martial Artists that influenced the world.