Kenpo Black Belt

Member of COPAR Kenpo

(1929 – 1989)

 

Tom Connor’s martial arts journey began at the young age of seven in the streets of Newark, New Jersey, and New York City. He trained diligently in Wing Chun and Hung Gar until he was fifteen — the same year he lied about his age to enlist in the United States Army and serve in World War II.

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After the war, he returned home and pursued a degree in linguistics while continuing to sharpen his combat skills, earning multiple Golden Gloves awards in boxing.

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From approximately 1950 to 1959, Mr. Connor served as a U.S. Government agent. During this time, he expanded his martial arts knowledge by adding Jiu Jitsu to his already formidable skill set.

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In 1960, he moved with his family to Mexico intending to retire. However, after some time for reflection, he felt the call to return to the United States and open a martial arts school.

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By 1965, Tom Connor had established a thriving self-defense school and dance studio in San Jose, California. That same year, he formed a historic partnership (COPAR Kenpo) with Ed Parker Sr. Together, they opened Kenpo schools in San Jose, San Francisco, and Phoenix, Arizona. While in California, Mr. Connor continued his deep study of Chinese Wushu, frequently training and exchanging knowledge with practitioners in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

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By the early 1970s, the partnership had grown to include the Tracy brothers. Though the partnership eventually dissolved in the late 1970s, Mr. Connor retained ownership of several schools and continued refining his system.

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Mr. Connor skillfully fused his deep experience in Chinese martial arts, boxing, and Jiu Jitsu into a powerful, artistic form of American Kenpo. One of his earliest students, Bill Packer, gave this unique system its name: the American Kenpo Karate Association (AKKA) — later known as the American Kenpo Karate Academy (AKKA).

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Note: Mr. Pilch never had the opportunity to train directly under Mr. Connor. The information above is based on secondhand accounts and is presented with the highest degree of accuracy possible.

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~ Last Updated 5/18/2026