Black Belt and Blue Water
unclear from this statement exactly what the “ seven degrees ” meant ( whether they included the Kyu , or colored belt , ranks , or were all Dan , black belt�although it might seem doubtful that TR intended to devote the extensive time to achieve a Godan rank , or 5 th -degree black belt , which would be close to Master ). However , the late Dr . John Gable , then executive director of the Theodore Roosevelt Association and arguably the foremost authority on TR trivia , verified in personal conversation that TR had earned a black belt . Subsequently , TR ’ s great grandson , Tweed Roosevelt , verified that as well . Yamashita had remarked that , however impulsive Roosevelt was , he had become his best student .
Thus , Theodore Roosevelt is almost certainly the only president ever to hold a black belt in any martial art , and absolutely the only one ever to earn one while in office . To honor his contributions to American Judo , the American Judo Association on the 17 th of November 2007 , at Sagamore Hill , the Roosevelt home , posthumously “ presented an honorary 8 th degree black belt to President Theodore Roosevelt , the first and only American President to have studied the Japanese art of Judo ” (“ Honorary 8 th Degree Black Belt .” 2008 4 ). Eighth degree black belt , Hachidan , denotes a Master ’ s rank ( generally sixth degree or higher ) in a martial art . The certificates are on display at the headquarters of the Theodore Roosevelt Association in Oyster Bay , NY .
Most people who have spent any length of time in one of the martial arts�Jiu Jitsu , Aikido , Karate , Kung Fu ( wushu ), Taekwondo , Hapkido , or another�assuming effective instruction , diligent study , and appropriate practice find that such arts do , indeed , become a way of life . It requires no leap of the imagination to believe that TR ’ s experience with Judo , as well as his “ strenuous life ,” in general , shaped his presidency .
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