Mailly, William, 1871-1912

Coal miner, journalist, drama critic, and socialist, William Mailly was editor of Haverhill Social Democrat (1898), associate editor of The Worker (1901, 1906-1907), and managing editor of the New York Evening Call (1908-1909). He was National Secretary of the Socialist Party (1903-1905) and a member of the Executive Committee (1905-1906).

In his relatively short lifetime (1871-1912), William Mailly became known as one of the leading figures in the formative period of modern American socialism. Following a common school education and a brief work experience as a coal miner, Mailly served as an editor on several labor newspapers in the South. Mailly also worked as a relentless editor and organizer for the Social Democratic Party and the Socialist Party. During the height of his involvement in various socialist activities, Mailly was the editor of the Haverhill (mass.) Social Democrat (1898), associate editor of The Worker in New York (1901, 1906-1907), and managing editor of the New York Evening Call (1908-1909). Besides his journalistic accomplishments, Mailly helped organize the Social Democratic Party in 1898, served as the National Secretary of the Socialist Party from 1903 to 1905, and was a member of the National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party from 1905 to 1906.