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Belinda Boyd’s connection with the Nation of Islam and how the teachings were deeply ingrained in her upbringing and personal values.
 
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'''Khalilah Camacho Ali''' (born '''Belinda Boyd'''; March 17, 1950) is an American actress, also known for being the former wife of boxer [[Muhammad Ali]].<ref name="people.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20071058,00.html|title=Bitter About Ali ('i Call Him Cassius Clay'), Ex-Wife Khalilah Forges a Life of Her she now lives in Liverpool Own|work=people.com}}</ref>
 
==Personal lifeLife==
===Early Life and Family Background===
Belinda Boyd was born on March 17, 1950. She was raised in Chicago where she attended Islamic schools.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/bitter-about-ali-i-call-him-cassius-clay-ex-wife-khalilah-forges-a-life-of-her-own-vol-9-no-23/|title=Bitter About Ali ('i Call Him Cassius Clay'), Ex-Wife Khalilah Forges a Life of Her Own|work=PEOPLE.com|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en}}</ref> Her parents were members of the [[Nation of Islam]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2016/06/05/remembering-muhammad-ali-as-a-husband-and-father/|title=Remembering Muhammad Ali as a husband and father|date=2016-06-05|work=New York Post|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US}}</ref> Her father, Brother Raymond, was the first lieutenant of the FOI for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and her mother, Sister Inez (Aminah) worked in the temple as a secure person and the companion of the First Lady of the nation, Sister Clara Muhammad.This led her to live a different life that most as she was brought up close to the Royal Family because her parents here incredibly busy<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Taylor |first=Ula Yvette |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5149/northcarolina/9781469633930.001.0001 |title=The Promise of Patriarchy |date=2017-10-09 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |isbn=978-1-4696-3393-0}}</ref>.While most organizations like the Nation of Islam women are often silenced, Belinda Boyd is included in the long list of prominent women in the NOI that worked to negotiate with patriarchy by having to analyze their husbands dispositions to be able to guide them into success<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nasser |first=Aisha |date=2021 |title=Reading the Women of the Nation of Islam: A Feminist Review." Resources for Gender and Women's Studies |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2565690329?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals |journal=Women's Studies International Forum |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages= |doi=10.1016/j.wsif.2006.04.004 |issn=0277-5395}}</ref>. As a strict member of the NOI, Belinda Boyd lived a strict life under Elijah Muhammad’s moral teachings and “therefore remained a virgin till marriage, never been to a movie, never even out a line in the dark without her parents, never traveled by bus, [and] never smoked” before she met her first husband [[Muhammad Ali]] on August 18, 1967, at the age of 17.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="people.com" /> She claims the marriage was arranged by her Muslim parents.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/after-their-chilla-in-manila-belinda-ali-launches-a-new-career-alone-vol-5-no-8/|title=After Their Chilla in Manila, Belinda Ali Launches a New Career—Alone|work=PEOPLE.com|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en}}</ref> In an interview with NBC 6, Boyd recounted meeting Ali when she was 10 years old at her hometown mosque. "He said, '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,'" Boyd said, mimicking Ali. “You'll never be famous with that name. And, I walked away," Boyd said.<ref>{{cite web |title= The Secrets of Ali: Former Wife of Boxing Champ Tells All |url= https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/the-secrets-of-ali-former-wife-of-boxing-champ-tells-all/126869/ |website=nbcmiami.com |language=en}}</ref>
Belinda Boyd was born on March 17, 1950, and raised in Chicago within the [[Nation of Islam]] (NOI) community. Her father, Brother Raymond, served as a prominent lieutenant under [[Elijah Muhammad]], and her mother, Sister Inez (Aminah), worked within the temple as a security officer and companion to Sister Clara Muhammad, the NOI First Lady. Due to her parents' roles, Boyd grew up with close ties to NOI leadership, adhering to NOI teachings on lifestyle, including abstaining from social activities before marriage.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/bitter-about-ali-i-call-him-cassius-clay-ex-wife-khalilah-forges-a-life-of-her-own-vol-9-no-23/|title=Bitter About Ali ('i Call Him Cassius Clay'), Ex-Wife Khalilah Forges a Life of Her Own|work=PEOPLE.com|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2016/06/05/remembering-muhammad-ali-as-a-husband-and-father/|title=Remembering Muhammad Ali as a husband and father|date=2016-06-05|work=New York Post|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Taylor |first=Ula Yvette |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5149/northcarolina/9781469633930.001.0001 |title=The Promise of Patriarchy |date=2017-10-09 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |doi=10.5149/northcarolina/9781469633930.001.0001 |isbn=978-1-4696-3393-0}}</ref>
 
Although women in the Nation of Islam were often expected to remain silent, Boyd was part of a group of prominent women who navigated both social expectations and religious teachings within the organization. Scholars note that women like Boyd played nuanced roles by guiding their husbands and contributing to community success while negotiating with traditional expectations.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nasser |first=Aisha |date=2021 |title=Reading the Women of the Nation of Islam: A Feminist Review." Resources for Gender and Women's Studies |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2565690329 |journal=Women's Studies International Forum |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages= |doi=10.1016/j.wsif.2006.04.004 |issn=0277-5395|id={{ProQuest|2565690329}} }}</ref>
After their marriage, she, like Ali, changed her name to Khalilah Ali, though she was still called Belinda by old friends and family. When Ali's evasion of the draft cost him his boxing title in 1967 (a decision later overturned by the Supreme Court), Khalilah supported him emotionally and financially.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/muhammad-ali-ex-wife-_n_4646970.html|title=Muhammed Ali's Ex-Wife, Khalilah Camacho Ali, Opens Up About Their Marriage|date=2014-01-22|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US}}</ref> They had a tumultuous marriage with Ali's infidelities and she accused him of being an absentee father.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In 1974, Ali began an affair with his future wife [[Veronica Porché Ali|Veronica Porche]] which resulted in a confrontation between Khalilah and Veronica in [[Thrilla in Manila|Manila]].<ref name="ReferenceB"/> In January 1977, Khalilah divorced Ali.<ref name="Company1977">{{cite journal|first=Ron|last=Kisner|title=Ebony|journal=Ebony|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=4MsDAAAAMBAJ|page=82}}|date=September 1977|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|page=82|issn=0012-9011}}</ref> After their bitter divorce she said, "I left him because he wasn't what he said he was, because of his lack of morals and disrespect to the family. I don't think he deserves the name Muhammad Ali, and I'm going to call him Cassius Clay from now on."<ref name="ReferenceA"/>▼
===Marriage to Muhammad Ali===
At 17, Boyd married Muhammad Ali on August 18, 1967, in a marriage she claims was arranged by her Muslim parents.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/archive/after-their-chilla-in-manila-belinda-ali-launches-a-new-career-alone-vol-5-no-8/|title=After Their Chilla in Manila, Belinda Ali Launches a New Career—Alone|work=PEOPLE.com|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en}}</ref> Recalling her first encounter with Ali at age 10, Boyd stated he humorously remarked on his future fame, 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.”<ref>{{cite web |title=The Secrets of Ali: Former Wife of Boxing Champ Tells All |url=https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/the-secrets-of-ali-former-wife-of-boxing-champ-tells-all/126869/ |website=nbcmiami.com |date=25 July 2019 |language=en}}</ref> After marrying, Boyd adopted the name Khalilah Ali, though friends and family continued to call her Belinda. During Ali’s draft evasion case in 1967, which led to the temporary revocation of his boxing title, Khalilah supported him emotionally and financially.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/muhammad-ali-ex-wife-_n_4646970.html|title=Muhammed Ali's Ex-Wife, Khalilah Camacho Ali, Opens Up About Their Marriage|date=2014-01-22|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US}}</ref>
▲After their marriage, she, like Ali, changed her name to Khalilah Ali, though she was still called Belinda by old friends and family. When Ali's evasionmarriage of the draft cost him his boxing title in 1967 (a decision later overturned by the Supremefaced Court)difficulties, Khalilahnotably supporteddue himto emotionally and financially.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/muhammad-ali-ex-wife-_n_4646970.html|title=Muhammed Ali's Ex-Wife, Khalilah Camacho Ali, Opens Up About Their Marriage|date=2014-01-22|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US}}</ref> They had a tumultuous marriage with Ali'sAli’s infidelities and she accused him of being an absentee father.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In 1974, Ali began an affair with his future wife [[Veronica Porché, Ali|Veronicaleading Porche]] which resulted into a confrontation between Khalilah and VeronicaPorché in [[Manila during the Thrilla in Manila|Manila]] fight.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> In January 1977, Khalilah divorcedfiled for divorce, citing differences in morals Aliand respect within the family.<ref name="Company1977">{{cite journal|first=Ron|last=Kisner|title=Ebony|journal=Ebony|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=4MsDAAAAMBAJ|page=82}}|date=September 1977|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|page=82|issn=0012-9011}}</ref> AfterShe theirlater bitter divorce she saidremarked, "I left him because he wasn't what he said he was, because of his lack of morals and disrespect to the family. I don'tdon’t think he deserves the name Muhammad Ali, and I'mI’m going to call him Cassius Clay from now on."<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
 
===Children and Family Legacy===
TheKhalilah coupleand Ali had four children,: Maryum "May May" (b. 1968), twins Jamillah and Rasheda (b. 1970), and Muhammad Ali Jr. (b. 1972). During their marriage, Ali hadalso multiplefathered other children fromthrough extramarital affairsrelationships, including Miya in(b. 1972,) and Khaliah in(b. 1974). Rasheda later married Robert Walsh, with whom she has two sons: Biaggio Ali Walsh (b. 1998) and [[Nico Ali Walsh]] (b. 2000), both of whom have maintained a public presence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/04/muhammad-alis-tangled-love-life-leaves-troubled-legacy/|title=Muhammad Ali's tangled love life leaves troubled legacy|last1=Foster|first1=Peter|date=2016-06-04|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2018-01-02|last2=Allen|first2=Nick|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Rasheda married Robert Walsh and has two sons, Biaggio Ali Walsh (b. 1998) and [[Nico Ali Walsh]] (b. 2000).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.si.com/college-football/2017/01/31/biaggio-ali-walsh-cal-recruiting-class|title=Chatting with Biaggio Ali-Walsh, Cal recruit and grandson of Muhammad Ali|work=SI.com|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en}}</ref>
==Subsequent Marriages==
Following her divorce from Ali, Khalilah remarried in the 1980s and divorcedexperienced two twiceadditional moredivorces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/khalilah-camacho-ali-stood-by-muhammad-ali-through-exile-and-triumph-6344636|title=Khalilah Camacho-Ali Stood by Muhammad Ali Through Exile and Triumph|author=Francisco Alvarado|work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach}}</ref>▼
 
==Political Views==
▲Khalilah remarried in the 1980s and divorced twice more.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/khalilah-camacho-ali-stood-by-muhammad-ali-through-exile-and-triumph-6344636|title=Khalilah Camacho-Ali Stood by Muhammad Ali Through Exile and Triumph|author=Francisco Alvarado|work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach}}</ref>
In 2024, Khalilah Ali publicly endorsed Donald Trump in that year's presidential election. She expressed her decision, stating, "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. And people who just want to be a hater, they don’t get information. I wear my Trump hat every day. I don’t care about what you think. Half my family are Democrats. Do I care? No. But we still family."<ref>Salguero, Armando, "[https://www.outkick.com/sports/muhammad-alis-ex-wife-going-vote-donald-trump Muhammad Ali's Ex-Wife Is Going To Vote For Donald Trump]", ''[[Outkick]]'', via ''[[Fox News]]'', 29 August 2024</ref>
 
==Career==
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[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute alumni]]
[[Category:Family of Muhammad Ali family]]
[[Category:Muslims from Illinois]]
[[Category:African-American Muslims]]
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