HISTORY OF THE JOW GA KUNG FU ASSOCIATION This is the complete history of the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association from its begining in 1968 to it's closing in 2007. This page is dedicated to the memory of Mater Dean Chin and all his many students who if not for there efforts and sacrafices, Jow Ga would not be flourishing today In 1968 Master Dean Chin and Master Hoy K. Lee founded the first Jow Ga School in the United States as well as one of the first Kung Fu Schools that opened it’s doors to Non-Chinese students. The name on the sign was LEE’S KUNG FU/KARATE, a necessary name at that time as Karate was very popular in the United States and no one knew what Kung Fu was. Instead of coming in for Martial Arts lessons people would often come in looking to order Chinese Cuisine. The first school was located at 915 I St. N.W. in Washington, D.C., in the heart of Chinatown.. The school was set in the buildings narrow basement. The school had a low ceiling; exposed steam pipes and many forms had to be practice in the alleyway next to the building. In the blistering heat of the summer, the practice room would get so hot; the training floor would literally sweat. The school also had a small training room with a dirt floor and the school would often fill with dust when training was done in this room. The tuition at that time was $10.00 per month and training was done in the old way. Beginning students would start with stance training and basic footwork, for the first six months. They would then move on to there first form, a generic Kung Fu form from the Chin Woo School, which was taught first, before learning any Jow Ga forms, to test the loyalty of the student. Jow Ga was and still is considered a treasure and should only be taught to those who would hold it in the highest regard.  
The majority of the classes were taught by Master Hoy Lee, as Master Dean Chin at that time was attending college-studying engineering. Master Lee would teach classes in the morning, then go to work in a local Chinese restaurant. He would teach another class on his lunch break and then another on his dinner break and then go back to work for the dinner shift. Master Chin would train Master Lee and senior students on advanced Jow Ga forms and techniques after regular classes were finished. It was very clear to every student that Master Chin and Lee were single minded in their pursuit of promoting Jow Ga and producing top quality students. The mutual respect and brotherhood they shared was an inspiration. Because of their strong dedication to detail, the duo turned out strong first generation students, who were instrumental in promoting Kung Fu all over the east cost. Students such as Joesphus Colvin, Deric Mims, Eugene Mackie, Harry Chow, Henry Wong, Jimmy Yee, Joe Sejas, Rick Quander (and many more) 
These students would go to the Karate tournaments and turn heads as they competed against the Karate competitors who had a foot hold on the tournament circuit at that time. On many occasions these young Kung Fu athletes were discriminated against as they performed forms and techniques that were completely foreign to there Karate counter-parts. Judges would often look away and not give them scores in the form competitions. In the fighting competitions the students were often cheated and not given points for techniques that were unrecognizable to the Karate judges. These first generation students however persevered and showed the true power of Jow Ga, and earned a great deal of respect from the Martial Arts community. The school quickly gained a reputation and was challenged many times. Several stories were told of challengers coming into the I St. school, only to be beaten. One story tells of how Master Lee literally knocked a challenger out of the school door using the Woo Dip Jeurng “Double Buterfly Palm”. In 1972 the school moved to it’s second location, 805 H Street, NW. At this time Master Chin was out of college and took a more active role in the school. The school name was changed from Lee’s Kung Fu/Karate to the JOW GA KUNG FU ASSOCIATION, and Master Dean Chin as the Director & Chief Instructor. The senior instructor was Hoy Lee and assistant instructors were Deric Mims & Barbara Mims. So selective was Master Chin, that he created Membership Cards to show proof of membership. The first card was presented to Deric Mims, which he still carries to this day. At that time notable students Hon Lee, Vickie Lee, Paul Adkins, and Robert Woods joined the Jow Ga family. Also at this time many articles were done in the popular magazine “New Martial Hero” featuring the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association. Word had now gotten back to Hong Kong and China about the Americans promoting traditional Kung Fu. In 1973 Master Hoy Lee joined is family in Florida, where he taught a small group of students Jow Ga. Around this time at the advice of Dean Chin, Deric Mims moved to Iowa to attend college, where he opened the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association Iowa Branch. On April 5, 1975 Deric Mims and the Iowa Branch hosted the first Iowa All Martial Arts Exhibition at the Ellsworth Community College. Jow Ga had now reached Florida and Iowa. In 1974, Master Chin moved the school to its third location 740 6th St. NW. Notable students who joined this school were, Raymond Wong, Randy Bennett, Craig Lee, Terheran Brighthaupt, Lemuel Talley, Sam Depriest, Mathew Bumphus “Uncle Mathew”, and John Chin. By this time the Jow Ga School was a house, hold name. The Jow Ga Kung Fu Association were performing all over the Washington Metropolitian area, at such prestigious places as the White House, the National Museum of History, and several foreign embassies. Raymond Wong, Eugene Mackie, and Craig Lee led the Dragon and Lion Dance teams on all demonstrations and Chinese New Year performances. So famous was the Jow Ga School that many of today’s most famous Kung Fu Masters would visit the school on many occasions. In 1974 Dean Chin and the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association, with the assistance of the Eastern Kung Fu Federation, promoted the first All Kung Fu Tournament in the east cost. In 1979 the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association was selected to represent the United States in the First Annual Koushu Tournament in Taipei, where the school won 1st Place in the demonstration division coached by Deric Mims. The fighting team coached by Paul Adkins also won top honors and numerous medals. In the late 70’s and early 80’s several other notable students joined the Jow Ga School, such as Stanley Dea, Duke Amayo, Rahim Muhammad, Reza Momenan, Derek Johnson, Troy Williams, Stephanie Dea, Gloria Grimes, Jose Diaz, Marc Bretzfielder, Chris Henderson, Maurice Westrey, Ronald Wheeler, and many many others. It was also around this time that Master Chin went into semi-retirement and turned over Chief Instructor duties to his senior student Master Deric Mims 
In 1985, the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association and the Kung Fu world suffered a tremendous loss with the passing of Master Dean Chin. The death of Master Chin was a big loss to the Jow Ga students, however they never forgot his teachings and continue to spread Jow Ga to this day. Some students went on to open schools of their own. Today US Jow Ga Schools can be found up and down the east cost. Other students however stayed on to keep Dean Chins school, the original school open. Under the leadership of Sifu Deric Mims and with help of Sifu Eugene Mackie, and long time student Stanley Dea, the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association continued to thrive. In 1988, do to re-development of the 6th St school building, the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association moved for a third time, to 1364 Holton Lane, Langley Park, Md. It was at this location the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association changed it’s name for a third time, when the organization obtained non-profit status thus becoming the JOW GA KUNG FU CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. In 2000 the Jow Ga Kung Fu Cultural Association introduced its 4th Generation Chief Instructor Sifu Troyon Williams who continues to train students in the Jow Ga tradition. 
In 2005 the Jow Kung Fu Cultural Association, made another pivotal move when the 1364 Holton Lane location closed down. The Jow Ga Kung Cultural Association re-located to its 5th location at headed once again by Master Deric Mims. Finally in 2007, Master Deric Mims closed his hands, and the Jow Ga Kung Fu Cultural Association sadly closed it's doors Its history and reputation made the Jow Ga Kung Fu Cultural Association one of the most well respected Martial Arts organizations in the United States. Although the doors are closed, the Jow Ga Kung Fu Associations contribution to traditonal chinese martial arts will never be forgotten, the legacy will live on forever. JOW GA WILL NEVER DIE US Jow Ga History written bySifu Derrek Johnson, & Sifu Troyon Williams, as told by Master Deric Mims |