Hodari Abdul Ali

Hodari Abdul-Ali "is a Muslim of African-American descent who has combined a career of business, journalism and community activism.

"From San Diego, California, Abdul-Ali, 51, graduated magna cum laude from Howard University's School of Communications in 1976. While there he was the Editor-In-Chief of the campus newspaper, The Hilltop, and travelled to Africa for the first time. Over the years he has worked with a number of publications and currently is a programmer with radio station WPFW in Washington, D.C.

"From 1977-1984 he founded and operated Liberation Information Distributing Co., which became a leading wholesaler of books and periodicals about Africa, African-Americans and Islam across the United States. In 1981 he founded Pyramid Books in Washington,D.C., which by 1990 grew to become the 1st chain of independent African- American owned and oriented bookstores in the U.S., with additional locations in Maryland and California. Since 1995 he has operated Dar Es Salaam Books/Health Center in suburban Washington, D.C.

"As an activist, Abdul-Ali has received numerous awards for community service and been involved with a variety of organizations ranging from those advocating reparations to those opposing the U.S. occupation of Iraq." 

"Beginning in 1981, the San Diego, Calif. native built Pyramid Books into a five-store chain with locations near the Howard campus, at Prince George’s Plaza in Hyattsville, in the Hechinger Mall in Northeast D.C., in the Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore, and in his hometown, selling a commodity that was not widely distributed in the beginning—Black literature.

"Before that, he operated the Liberation Information Distribution Company (LIDCO), which distributed Black books, magazines and newspapers throughout the Washington area. His book distribution business was featured in Black Enterprise magazine, and Abdul-Ali was widely respected as a literary distributor who always met his deadlines, and who always paid his accounts in a timely manner." also see


 * Member of Governing Body of Muslim Alliance in North America
 * Director, Universal Human Rights Network
 * Executive director, Give Peace a Chance Coalition