HISTORY

Professor Don Anthony Jacob was born in Trinidad in October 1954 and began his Martial Arts career at the age of nine when he started learning Judo from his first Instructor, Sensei Clyde Thomas. From that day forward, the then, shy little boy from a broken home and poverty-stricken family began to change. The discipline and intensity of his training helped focus him towards success and international recognition in life. Today he is one of the most well known and gifted Martial Artists in the world.

In a magnificent career that has spanned over three decades, Professor Don Jacob not only founded Don Jitsu Ryu, the lethal fighting system of martial arts, but has also produced a host of world champions, authored several books and spread the Purple Dragon school to many parts of the world, from USA to Canada and several Caribbean countries. In addition to this he has studied, taught and represented Trinidad & Tobago as a cultural Ambassador in many countries, including the United States, Canada, England, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, Australia, Oman, Bahrain, Bahamas, St. Croix and Guatemala.

As the head of a large international network of students Professor Don Jacob has always recognized the importance of discipline and insisted upon certain codes of conduct and protocol within the Purple Dragon Family. He does not only preserve uniformity among the various dojos but also insists upon the high standard of discipline for which Purple Dragon is admired worldwide.

Professor Don Jacob was the first Trinidadian to perform at Madison Square Gardens at one of the most prestigious martial arts shows in the world, “ The Oriental World of Self Defense” in 1977. He was also the first colored martial artist in the world to write books on the art of Jiu-Jitsu. Among his published works are “High Impact Jiu-Jitsu” and “The Official Manual For Rape Prevention”.

In 1981 he won the Canadian Martial Arts Magazine’s Hall of Fame award for the Best Demonstration in the world. He won the Canadian Championship at the C.N.E. in 1978. He was made Honorary Citizen of Alameda, California in 1981. He also coached the Trinidad Jiu-Jitsu Team which won second place in the 1st World Jiu-Jitsu Champions in 1984, which was held in Canada. In March 1991 he was inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio, USA.

Professor Don Jacob started his own fighting art, Don Jitsu Ryu, in Trinidad after having acquired the Master’s knowledge, and tested thousands of techniques in some of the deadliest fighting arts with and without weapons. Those who have seen him in action consider him to be one of the best demonstrators and teachers of all time. He is loved by hundreds of thousands, envied and disliked by some, but in spite of the critics he continues to move forward helping his students, friends and organizations that need his services.

Professor Jacob feels he owes all of his success to his teachers who gave him a lot of encouragement: Sensei Clyde Thomas, Dr. Moses Powell, Master Tusui Yoshitaka and Professor Wally Jay as well as all of his students and fans that remained at his side and supported him.