Khalilah Ali facts for kids

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.

About Khalilah Ali

Her Early Life

Belinda Boyd was born in Chicago on March 17, 1950. She grew up in a community connected to the Nation of Islam (NOI). Her father, Brother Raymond, was an important leader in the NOI. Her mother, Sister Inez, worked as a security officer. She also helped Sister Clara Muhammad, who was the wife of the NOI leader. Because of her parents' roles, Belinda was very close to the NOI leaders. She followed their rules, like waiting until marriage for social activities.

Women in the Nation of Islam were often expected to be quiet. However, Belinda was part of a group of women who were active in their community. These women helped their husbands and contributed to the group's success. They did this while still respecting traditional expectations.

Marriage to Muhammad Ali

When she was 17, Belinda Boyd married Muhammad Ali on August 18, 1967. She has said that her Muslim parents arranged this marriage. She first met Ali when she was 10 years old. She remembers him jokingly saying, "Listen here, little girl. This is my name. Imma be famous. You need to keep that 'cause it's gone be worth a lot of money." After they married, Belinda took the name Khalilah Ali. However, her friends and family still called her Belinda.

Their marriage faced some challenges. In 1967, Muhammad Ali's boxing title was temporarily taken away. This happened because he refused to join the military. Khalilah supported him emotionally and financially during this difficult time.

In January 1977, Khalilah filed for divorce. She said they had different ideas about morals and respect in 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 and Family

Khalilah and Muhammad Ali had four children together. Their first child, Maryum, was born in 1968. Then came twins, Jamillah and Rasheda, in 1970. Their son, Muhammad Ali Jr., was born in 1972.

Muhammad Ali also had other children during their marriage. These included Miya and Khaliah. Rasheda, Khalilah's daughter, later married Robert Walsh. They have two sons. Biaggio Ali Walsh was born in 1998, and Nico Ali Walsh was born in 2000. Both of Khalilah's grandsons have become well-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 Career and Skills

Khalilah Ali is a skilled martial artist. She studied karate and earned her third-degree black belt by 1977. She trained with famous martial artists like Jim Kelly and Steve Saunders. Eventually, she achieved her ninth-degree black belt, which is a very high rank.

She has also appeared in magazines and movies. She was on the cover of Ebony Magazine seven times. Khalilah also acted in the movie The China Syndrome, which starred Jane Fonda.

Her Views on Politics

In 2024, Khalilah Ali shared her support for Donald Trump in the presidential election. She explained her choice, saying, "I'm voting for Trump, I don’t care what nobody believes, I don’t care what nobody says, I don’t care what you think, whatever. I’ve studied what Trump wants to do. I’ve studied what Trump wants to make change. I saw what Trump has tried to do." She added that she wears her "Trump hat every day" and doesn't mind if her family members have different political views.