This year marked the 30th anniversary of Mfundi Dennis Brown's U.S. Capitol Classics & China Open. The traditional point karate and kung fu tournament was held at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland on August 3rd and 4th, and showcased competitors of all ages from as far away as Beijing, China. Mfundi Dennis Brown, who co-founded the event with Oso Tayari Casel 30 years ago, in the Washington, DC area received a special honorary black belt from legendary martial artist Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee and his son. Rhee, considered the Grandfather of American Tae Kwon Do, is best known for assisting in the training of World Champion boxer Muhammad Ali, iconic actor and martial artist Bruce Lee, along with a number of U.S. political figures, such as Congressmen and U.S. Cabinet Members.

The U.S. Capitol Classics are a NASKA 6A Rated World Tour Martial Arts Tournament, which is why so many competitors flock to the event each year. Mfundi Brown is noted for being one of the first Americans to travel to Mainland China and study kung fu at the original Shaolin Temple in the Northern part of the country. He has since settled in the DC area, opening a number of schools, where his years of knowledge in the arts are shared with students from around the world.