The first issue of Black Belt magazine was published in 1961 by a Japanese-American skilled in the arts of Aikido, Kendo, Judo and what would become known as Jeet Kune Do. Based in Southern California, Mito Uyehara envisioned a national publication that would help spread the Asian martial arts, the benefits of which he knew very well, to the American public.
As the publication grew in the years to come so did the popularity of martial arts in America. Black Belt magazine quickly solidified its position as one of the timeless periodicals on newsstands across the country.
1961
BLACK BELT MAGAZINE IS FOUNDED
Vol 1. No 1.
SELLS FOR 50 CENTS
1962
VOL. 1, NO 2 HITS NEWSTANDS
Subscriptions
COST $3 FOR 10 ISSUES
1964
Black Belt Runs its
FIRST WOMAN
On the cover
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER
1967
CHUCK NORRIS
Gets his first cover - in the form of a painting
JUNE
1967
BRUCE LEE
Appears on the cover. It's the first of many
OCTOBER
1968
HALL OF FAME
Is created
NOVEMBER
1974
Black Belt begins using
GLOSSY PAPER
And a few pages of color
OCTOBER
1983
Black Belt celebrates its
20TH ANNIVERSARY
JUNE
1987
The magazine releases its
300TH ISSUE
AUGUST
2001
Black Belt celebrates its
40TH ANNIVERSARY
JULY
2017
CENTURY MARTIAL ARTS
Releases the first issue under new ownership
JUNE - JULY
As the years passed, Black Belt adopted a monthly publication schedule and then added color. All along the way, the magazine broke new ground by featuring women, as well as African-Americans and members of other ethnic groups, on the cover. All controversial decisions given their respective tes of publication. The editors even put Bruce Lee on that coveted front page before he was a star in 1967
The year after Bruce Lee appeared on the cover, the magazine's editors unveiled the Black Belt Hall of Fame. In the ensuing decades, the company published books, made videos, hosted events and launched spin-off publications — including Karate Illustrated, Martial Arts Training, FightSport and Self-Defense for Women.
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