The United States Martial Artist Association (USMAA) was established in 1977 by Dr. William A. Rankin, Ph.D., 10th Degree Black Belt, and Grandmaster of Uchuno Shorin-Ryu Karate Do. Our Founder, Dr. Rankin, had a vision of a non-political, diverse community of martial artists that would become the leading force in promoting excellence in the martial arts. Our start was slow in the beginning but through his perseverance and deep passion to serve others, we would hit our stride in the late 1990s and begin to secure that vision. In 1999, we hosted the first USMAA Hall of Fame event. This event grew into an extravaganza of legendary martial arts performances, the sharing of martial arts knowledge and skills through training seminars, black belt testing and evaluations, Krav Maga beach workouts, and first-class entertainment as well as the recognition of member martial artists’ contributions and successes. In 2025, we celebrate our 25th USMAA Hall of Fame Anniversary. Through the years, our membership has swelled to over a thousand members from across the United States and around the world. Over the course of the past 45 plus years, Dr. Rankin provided pioneering leadership and organizational structure, setting up his legacy and the envisioned community of likeminded martial artists committed to a shared purpose of advancing a non-political group from a diversity of martial arts styles and systems that promote excellence and support each other. We have a history of celebrating our successes and achievements while championing each other.