Fencing Info

Fencing in America

  There was fencing in the American Colonies, most notably in Virginia, where plantation owners carried on the genteel traditions of England. As part of its French heritage, New Orleans had a number of fencing masters at the time of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

  But modern fencing was brought to the United States by the German Turners in the late 1840s. While the Turners emphasized physical training through gymnastics, fencing was also part of their regimen. After the Civil War, many colleges and athletic clubs adopted fencing along with the rest of the Turner gymnastics program.

  As a result, the U. S. had the first national governing body for the sport. The Amateur Athletic Union initiated national championships in 1888. However, many fencers weren't happy with the AAU, so they formed the Amateur Fencers League of America (now the U. S. Fencing Association) in 1891. The AFLA began conducting the national championships the following year.

  Two other national governing bodies were founded shortly after the turn of the century: Great Britain's Amateur Fencing Association in 1902 and France's Fédération des Salles des Armes et Sociétés d'Escrime in 1906.