Khalilah Ali facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Khalilah Camacho Ali
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Ali in 1975
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| Born |
Belinda Boyd
March 17, 1950 |
| Occupation | Humanitarian, author, actor |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 4 |
Khalilah Camacho Ali (born Belinda Boyd on March 17, 1950) is an American actress. She is also well-known as the former wife of the famous boxer Muhammad Ali.
Contents
About Khalilah Ali
Growing Up
Belinda Boyd was born on March 17, 1950, in Chicago. She grew up in the Nation of Islam (NOI) community. Her father, Brother Raymond, was an important leader in the NOI. Her mother, Sister Inez, worked as a security officer and helped Sister Clara Muhammad, who was the First Lady of the NOI.
Because of her parents' roles, Belinda was very close to the NOI leaders. She followed the NOI's teachings on how to live, which included not taking part in social activities before marriage. Women in the Nation of Islam were often expected to be quiet. However, Belinda was one of several important women who found ways to follow both social expectations and religious teachings. These women helped guide their husbands and contributed to their community's success.
Marriage to Muhammad Ali
Belinda Boyd married Muhammad Ali on August 18, 1967, when she was 17 years old. She has said that her Muslim parents arranged the marriage. In an interview, Belinda shared that she first met Ali when she was 10 years old at her hometown mosque. She remembered Ali signing an autograph for her. He joked that he would be famous and that the autograph would be worth a lot of money. Belinda told him, "You'll never be famous with that name," and walked away.
After they married, Belinda changed her name to Khalilah Ali. However, her friends and family still called her Belinda. In 1967, Muhammad Ali faced legal issues because he refused to join the military. This led to him temporarily losing his boxing title. Khalilah supported him emotionally and financially during this difficult time.
Khalilah and Ali's marriage faced challenges. Ali had other relationships, which caused problems. In January 1977, Khalilah filed for divorce. She said they had different ideas about morals and respect within the family. She later explained, "I left him because he wasn't what he said he was, because of his lack of morals and disrespect to the family."
Her Children
Khalilah and Ali had four children together. Their daughter Maryum, also known as "May May," was born in 1968. Twins Jamillah and Rasheda were born in 1970. Their son, Muhammad Ali Jr., was born in 1972.
Rasheda later married Robert Walsh. They have two sons, Biaggio Ali Walsh, born in 1998, and Nico Ali Walsh, born in 2000. Both of their grandsons have become publicly known.
Later Marriages
After her divorce from Muhammad Ali, Khalilah married two more times in the 1980s. Both of these marriages also ended in divorce.
Her Views on Politics
In 2024, Khalilah Ali publicly supported Donald Trump for president. She explained her decision, saying, "I'm voting for Trump, I don’t care what nobody believes, I don’t care what nobody says... I’ve studied what Trump wants to do. I’ve studied what Trump wants to make change." She also mentioned that she wears a Trump hat every day and doesn't mind that half of her family are Democrats.
Her Career and Achievements
Khalilah Ali studied karate and became very skilled. By 1977, she had earned a third-degree black belt. She trained with martial arts experts Jim Kelly and Steve Saunders. Eventually, she earned her ninth-degree black belt, which is a very high achievement in karate.
She has appeared on the cover of Ebony Magazine seven times. She also acted in the movie The China Syndrome, which starred Jane Fonda.
