Shahrazad Ali facts for kids

Shahrazad Ali (born April 27, 1954) is an American author. She is known for writing several books. Her most famous book is The Blackman's Guide to Understanding the Blackwoman.

When her book was published in 1989, it caused a lot of discussion. It led to many community meetings and strong arguments among Black people across the United States.

About Her Famous Book

Stories about Shahrazad Ali's book appeared in major newspapers. These included the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. News magazines like Newsweek also covered it.

Ali appeared on several TV shows to discuss her book. She was on Tony Brown's Journal, the Sally Jessy Raphaël Show, and The Phil Donahue Show. She also appeared on Geraldo. Her book was even made fun of on the comedy show In Living Color.

The book had different effects on bookstores. Some black bookstores saw more customers because of it. However, other black bookstores chose not to sell it. The book also led to another book of essays. This collection of essays, called Confusion by Any Other Name, discussed the negative effects of The Blackman's Guide.

Critics of the book said it did not offer facts to support its ideas. They also noted it did not explain how Ali reached her conclusions. Many felt it was a self-published book that would have been ignored. They believed it only gained attention because of the media buzz it created due to its unusual and bold claims.

Guest Appearances

In August 2013, Shahrazad Ali returned to the media. She was a guest commentator on the HLN program Dr. Drew on Call. She was also interviewed on The Trisha Goddard Show. On this show, she discussed ideas about racial separation.

Personal Life

Shahrazad Ali has been married twice. She was married to Solomon Ali from 1965 until he passed away in 1985. Later, she married a man named Yahya, who passed away in 2013. She is a mother to 12 children. Nine of her children were adopted.