Historical Photos
1964, back, Allen Steen, George Mattson, Ed Parker, Tsutomu Ohshima, Robert Trias, front, Pat Burleson, Bruce Lee, Anthony Mirakian, Jhoon Rhee.
Jhoon Rhee shows his agility in the 1960s.
Keith Yates as a blue belt in 1966. Note the half dyed belt indicating someone under the age of 17 (standard practice in those days).
First brown belt Keith Yates side kicks towards first black belt James Toney in 1968. Photo taken at the Texas Instruments karate club.
Harold Gross demonstrates on Fred Wren at the Texas Karate Institute in 1967. In the background are James Toney and Keith Yates.
1970 Championship Texas Fighting Team. Candy Simpson, Demetrius "Greek" Havanas, coach Skipper Mullins, Keith Yates
Allen R. Steen from a 1970 "Official Karate Magazine" spread.
Keith Yates leaps at fellow Texas Karate Institute instructor Royce Young.
1974, Larry Wheeler, Bob Woerner, Paul Hinkley with Keith Yates behind, at the JoAnn's School of Dance in North Dallas.
Bob Woerner and Keith Yates, 1981.
Yates instructs NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger at a Dallas Cowboys mini camp in 1981.
Jhoon Rhee (the "Father of American TKD") and Keith Yates after a 6 am workout in 1986.
A 1987 story on Keith Yates in the Dallas Morning News, with Mr. Yates and Bryan Robbins pictured.
Caroline Goodspeed was the 1993 AKATO Instructor of the Year. At 9th dan she is the highest ranking female in NamSeoKwan TKD.
Keith Yates led the US Junior TKD Demo Team at the opening of the Korean War Memorial in Washington DC, in 1995. Here they pose with the Korean Junior Team which performed with them on the National Mall.
Randy Miller, Caroline Goodspeed, Keith Yates, Kelly Cox after a 1996 exam.
Tom Thompson, Keith Yates, film and TV star Clarence Gilyard, and Howard Jackson at the 1999 AKATO Banquet.
Keith Yates and Aaron Barnett during filming of a video.
Roy Kurban, Chuck Norris, and Keith Yates at a KickStart fundraiser in Houston in 2002. Mr. Yates served on the KickStart Board for a number of years.
2006, Allen Steen, Keith Yates, Skipper Mullins and Pat Burleson at the AKATO's 30th Anniversary banquet.
Mike Proctor and Kelly Cox demo at the 2011 AKATO banquet.
Pioneers of Taekwondo honored at the TKD Grandmasters Society banquet in 2012.
Yates inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame, 2015. Pictured Jon Alster, film star Gerald Okamura, Mr. Yates.
Film director Art Camacho, action stars Don Wilson and Cynthia Rothrock with Keith Yates at the Masters Hall of Fame.
Chuck Norris, Keith Yates, Allen Steen, on their way to Jhoon Rhee's memorial service in D.C. in 2018.
Yates inducted into the Martial Arts Legends Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, 2019. Pictured with Stephen Hayes and Jessie Bowen.
Yates inducted into the Official Taekwondo Hall of Fame in 2022 in New York City. Pictured with Linda Yates.
in 2024, Yates retired from the American Karate Black Belt Assoc. as Chairman of the Board. Pictured with Roy Kuban, Allen Steen (founder of the AKBBA).