52 BLOCKS TV PRESENTS:
A 52BLOCKS TV EXCLUSIVE….
MONSTERHOOD
52 LEGENDS and STORIES
From those who lived it, saw it, did it.
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52 Blocks, the only existing martial arts form originating from the United States, originates from Caribbean and Southern US (Gullah island) warrior traditions. Similar to its Brazilian counterpart, Capoeira, the fighting style was initially suppressed during slavery because white slaveowners feared potential rebellions of disenfranchised African-Americans. After Reconstruction, the art form followed the African-American migration Northeast and into the margins of large urban centers. Urban prisons, because of their ethnic breakdown as well as their social code, actually provided a more fertile ground for the art to expand, especially in allowing novices to dedicate themselves to ongoing training intensively. It was within the prison system that 52 evolved, fusing with urban dance and boxing tactics. 52’s predominance in the criminal justice system also reveals why it has been so obscured from the martial arts world and the world at large- in fact, the only aspect of 52 blocks to trickle into the mainstream has been its hip-hop offshoot break-dancing, which enjoys wide global popularity. Ironically, at a time with an exploding influx of incoming prisoners, the only existing US-derived martial art is being inadvertently squelched because of the mass adoption of weaponry, changes in the punitive system and the length of training required. And, the practitioners of 52 blocks, once released, face a wave of barriers to their success, particularly the negative stigma of previous offenses, as well as a struggle to become productive and working members of society.
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