The preservation and dissemination of 52 Blocks is critical in light of its cultural importance and its potential to steer African-American men to more positive futures, by fomenting physical health and discipline and connecting practitioners with support networks and resources. African-American males need fitness, fraternity and support systems, today more than ever. The need for fitness is demonstrated by health statistics showing a surge in obesity, heart disease, hypertension and cancers among Black men, who in some urban areas, suffer life expectancies characteristic of third world countries. The need for greater inter communication, and positive models for Black male interaction and bonding becomes dramatically clear, when evidencing the astronomical rate of Black-on-Black male violence as well the absence of Black fathers in almost half of Black households. Finally, the need for more support and assistance with social and economic reintegration is tragically underscored by a criminal offender re-arrest rate of more than 50% within 5 years. FWAPE will address these economic and social hurdles of men trying to rebuild their lives after prison, improving health outcomes, providing role models and support systems, and facilitating social and economic reintegration. At the same time, FWAPE’s benefit will extend beyond these individual men to entire communities, by providing education and cultural enrichment about the practice of 52 blocks.

As beautiful and sleek as it is deadly, 52 Blocks merits special conservation efforts as the United States’ only existing native martial culture, as it is indeed, the jazz of the martial arts world. Across the African diaspora, there are manifestations of African-derived warrior-dances, capoeira in brazil, mani in Cuba, ladja in Martinique, pinge in Haiti- yet the US offshoot has remained esoteric, because it was suppressed throughout slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow and then obscured in the criminal justice system.