Tattoo Convention 2010, Beijing, China

The first world tattoo convention was held by Dave Yurkew on January 24th-25th, 1976 in Houston, Texas. Dave Yurkew, who was also President of the North American Tattoo Club went on to host another 6 consecutive World Tattoo Conventions through 1982. Lyle Tuttle was quoted as saying that this was "The event that changed tattooing forever".
On January 19th-21st 1996, Dave Yurkew and Lyle Tuttle co-hosted the 20th Anniversary of the First World Tattoo Convention in Houston, Texas, following up with the 25th anniversary on January 18th-21st 2001 in Houston, hosted by Dave Yurkew and John Stuckey.
The first I.T.A.A. Convention were held in 1977 in Reno, the first National Convention in Denver, Colorado March 23rd - 25th, 1979 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Speakers at this convention were: Don Ed Hardy, Terry Wrigley, Peter Tat 2 Poulos, Diane Poulos, Bob Shaw , Big Walt Kilkucki, Painless Jeff Baker, Dave Yurkew, and from Germany Horst Heinrich Streckenbach and Manfred Kohrs.