How We Started
The American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts was founded in 1981 in San Francisco, California by Raymond “Duke” Moore. The original plan was to expand Zen Budokai, a credentialing organization and promote the top ten Black Belt members to their next ranks. A meeting was held at the Sutro Cliff House Restaurant in San Francisco. It was attended by not only active members of the Zen Budokai, but also by instructors of independent schools scattered throughout the bay area. The instructors of the schools represented Kenpo, Kempo, Tai Kwon Do, Shotokan, Zen Budokai, Aiki Budokai, and self-defense schools who taught a mixture of karate, Kung Fu, and Jiu jitsu. This meeting created an entirely new concept – the concept of teachers of every system of the martial arts working together to disseminate all elements of the martial arts through the media of local and national seminars. It was to be a democratic teachers organization whereby the arts and techniques of each school would be mutually shared. Two weeks later, on December 19, 1981 the American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts -ATAMA was born. Throughout the years ATAMA activity became quite high and then began to slow down with very little activity at all. In September of 2016, the remaining ATAMA Board of Directors called for a meeting and elected a new President, Hanshi Sid Rayford of Merced, CA. Under the new direction of Hanshi Sid Rayford, ATAMA has returned to the original activity of Duke Moore’s association, the Zen Budokai; a credentialing agency and Black Belt registry. ATAMA (American Teachers Association of Martial Arts) is a non-profit organization that can provide the verification of one's teaching status (active vs non-active), background, and moral character, which needs to be reviewed now more than ever before. A martial arts teacher that has been vetted outside of his or her home dojo or organization is one that can be trusted by families and public entities. It lets people know that you have nothing to hide and that they have nothing to worry about. Being an ATAMA member can make the general public more comfortable with choosing your dojo to bring their children to for training. The ATAMA is not only a credential verifying organization, but also a credential granting (where appropriate) agency, especially for those who no longer have an instructor and cannot otherwise receive well-earned promotions. With a tenured and well-respected Board of Examiners, ATAMA is able to have exam candidates reviewed by Examiners of the same style or convene the Board of Examiners for a vote.

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