Thanks to Lyn for sending:
“Grandmaster Carol Middleton, a 7th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and the founder and director of the D.C. Self-Defense Karate Association (DCSDKA), died on Aug. 11, 2026, in Chantilly, Va. She was 78 years old.
Grandmaster Middleton was a national figure in martial arts and women’s self-defense for almost 60 years, teaching Tae Kwon Do and self-defense to many thousands of Washington, D.C.-area students throughout the school’s history.
DCSDKA was founded in 1976 and classes were held in locations around Northwest D.C., including the Marie Reed Recreation Center, All Souls Church Unitarian, and Bancroft Elementary School in Adams Morgan and Mount Pleasant. Later, DCSDKA moved to Georgia Avenue. DCSDKA students were a familiar site at events in Washington, including Take Back the Night March demonstrations and youth performances at community gatherings.
The school attracted students of all ages and walks of life, including many women eager to learn martial arts and self-defense skills, and families and children who were drawn by the welcoming atmosphere and the training in discipline, confidence, and strength through positive examples and peer support. The themes of DCSDKA’s motto, “Discipline, Respect, and Positive Expectancy,” were infused in all the school’s classes and trainings.
Grandmaster Middleton began her martial arts training in 1968. She studied under Grandmaster Jack Hwang in Oklahoma and Dr. Sang Kee Paik in Wisconsin. In 1975, Grandmaster Middleton moved to the Washington, D.C., area to train with Ki Whang Kim in Silver Spring. In Master Kim’s school, Grandmaster Middleton forged the way for other women martial artists. She was a founder of the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation and began teaching full-force self-defense in the late 1980s, first as Model Mugging and then as DC IMPACT. She also trained in and taught many other martial arts and self-defense disciplines.
Grandmaster Middleton taught many children, and DCSDKA developed several programs for youth, including the Ninja Turtles for young children, the Little Dragons, and the Peaceful Warriors for teenagers. Through the life of the school, a number of child students returned as adults to enroll their own children.
Lauren Wheeler, DCSDKA’s ranking Black Belt or black belt (below)? at 3rd degree, noted the environment Grandmaster Middleton fostered. “Sensei created a community where everyone felt they could succeed. Her ability to teach everyone, from the youngest students to the most advanced black belts, in ways that were challenging and engaging, was remarkable,” Wheeler said.
Well before it was considered a standard approach, Grandmaster Middleton fostered a culture of inclusion, both in how students worked with one another and in accommodating those with various challenges. Learning American Sign Language to more effectively teach her hearing-impaired and Deaf students was just one way she strove to create a welcoming community. She also maintained a fund to ensure that the school’s children could continue to train even if their families faced financial hardship.
Her command and presence in a room were undeniable and recognized by martial artists nationwide. Students remember the powerful effects she had on them, inspiring their courage, strength, and perseverance.
“I think I can say that all Sensei’s students were grateful to have found a school that fostered such a strong community, led by a woman with a rich knowledge of different styles, self-defense, and the philosophical aspects of martial arts,” DCSDKA’s Wheeler said. “She will be missed, but she’s left the martial arts world with an incredible legacy that will live on through her many students.”
A memorial service for Grandmaster Middleton is being planned for Spring 2027. Details will be posted at CaringBridge (search for Sensei Carol) at www.caringbridge.com”