James Edward Hall (August 22, 1851 – May 3, 1889) was a socialist trade union organizer and politician.
He is best remembered as one of the organizers of the New York Central Labor Union and one of the first American socialists nominated for high political office, heading the New York state ticket of the Socialist Labor Party of America as its candidate for Governor in 1888.
[1] Hall was an early member of the American Section (i.e. English-speaking branch) of the Socialist Labor Party of America (SLP).
[1] Although ill with the disease that would soon take his life, in the spring of 1889 Hall issued the call to establish the Nationalist Club of New York, "nationalism" being synonymous with nationalization/public ownership at that time.
This organization drew the participation of Columbia University lecturer Daniel DeLeon, later a top leader of the SLP.