James Gray (February 18, 1862 – September 8, 1916) was a journalist and the 19th mayor of Minneapolis.

Gray's family emigrated to the United States in 1866, settling in Iowa.

After working as a teacher for a year, Gray moved to Minneapolis in 1880.

He was later promoted to managing editor and also served as a special correspondent in Washington, DC during the run up to the Spanish–American War.

Based partially on the name recognition he gained from his work as a correspondent, Gray ran as the Democratic nominee for mayor of Minneapolis in 1898 and won.