In 1978, a group of karate enthusiasts - faculty, staff and students at the Central Campus of the University of Houston - formed a karate club called UH-Shotokan Karate Club. The club has always been a non-credit karate class that is offered to the university community through Campus Activities. The founder and chief instructor, Deddy Mansyur, received his black belt in December of 1976 from Sensei Sabeth Muchsin, Chairman of the Karate-do Institute of Indonesia (INKAI). Sabeth Muchsin had studied under Sensei Masatoshi Nakayama. Nakayama, a student of Gichin Funakoshi (the Father of Modern Karate), was Chief Instructor of Japan Karate Association (JKA) from 1955 until his death in 1987.

Over the years, the club has produced state karate champions and its members have participated in advanced workshops held by some of the world's most famous karate masters. Many of its members are now instructors themselves.