{{distinguish|text=Jack Altman, the American entrepreneur and brother of Sam Altman}}
{{Short description|Socialist Party politician}} thumb|right|Altman {{circa}} 1934'''Jack Altman''' (November 20, 1906 – January 29, 1959) was an English-American Socialist Party politician.
==Early life== Altman was born in London, England, attending the Stepney Jewish School and Whitechapel Foundation School. He joined the Guild of Youth, the youth section of the Labour Party, at 14, and the regular party at 16. He came to the United States at 19, attending the Rand School of Social Science and the Brookwood Labor College.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles S. Zimmerman Collection; Series I: American Labor Party, 1924 - 1965; Campaign materials, 1937 - 1943; Pages 34–35 |url=https://archives.cjh.org/repositories/7/archival_objects/1440955 |website=archives.cjh.org/ |publisher=Center for Jewish History |access-date=21 May 2026}}</ref>
==Career== [[File:LEFT WING OF SOCIALISTS ACHIEVES SWEEPING VICTORY.png|thumb|left|An article in the ''Buffalo Courier-Express'' detailing the victory of the Militant faction in gaining control of the Socialist Party of New York, April 18, 1936. Altman is on the far right in the top picture.]] Altman served as the Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of New York City.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1937 |title=Socialists Demand City Relief Probe |url=https://newspapers.com/image/576164804 |work=Brooklyn Times Union |pages=2}}</ref> Altman was a member of the Militant wing of the Socialist Party, wanting to preserve the Party's Social-Democratic character while adopting more vigorous tactics.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Johnpoll |first=Bernard K. |title=Pacifist's Progress: Norman Thomas and the Decline of American Socialism |date=1970 |publisher=Quadrangle Books |location=Chicago |pages=80}}</ref> Before the 1932 Socialist Party Convention in Milwaukee, Altman issued a pamphlet with Devere Allen and Upton Sinclair, opposing reformism in the Socialist Party.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zumoff |first=Jacob A. |date=2020-07-05 |title=The Left in the United States and the Decline of the Socialist Party of America, 1934–1935 |url=https://doi.org/10.1353/llt.2020.0006 |journal=Labour / Le Travail |volume=85 |pages=170 |doi=10.1353/llt.2020.0006 |issn=1911-4842}}</ref> Altman was arrested in 1934 under a 1919 law that made it a misdemeanor to display a red flag in public. His conviction was later reversed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 19, 1934 |title=Red Flag Waver Freed on Appeal |url=https://newspapers.com/image/577800083 |work=Brooklyn Times Union |pages=9}}</ref>
Altman participated in 1936 talks with Earl Browder and Jack Stachel discussing the possibility of collaboration between the Communist Party and the Socialist Party.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bell |first=Daniel |title=Marxian Socialism in the United States |date=1996 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=0801483093 |location=Ithaca |pages=170}}</ref> After the 1936 election, Altman expressed interest in collaboration between the Socialist Party and the American Labor Party.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Warren |first=Frank A. |title=An Alternative Vision: The Socialist Party in the 1930's |date=1974 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=0253305209 |location=Bloomington |pages=84}}</ref> This placed Altman and the Militants in opposition to the Clarity Caucus within the Socialist Party, which opposed working with the ALP.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chester |first=Eric Thomas |title=True Mission: Socialists and the Labor Party Question in the U.S. |date=2004 |publisher=Pluto Press |isbn=074532214X |location=London |pages=156}}</ref>
Altman was responsible for the expulsion of the Trotskyist faction from the New York Socialist Party in 1937, which resulted in half of the Young People's Socialist League leaving the SP to join the new Socialist Workers Party.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ross |first=Jack |title=The Socialist Party of America: A Complete History |date=2015 |publisher=Potomac Books |isbn=9781612344904 |pages=384}}</ref> Altman argued that the Trotskyists had attempted to undermine the Socialist Party and had not followed the Party's directives.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Myers |first=Constance Ashton |title=The prophet's army : Trotskyists in America, 1928-1941 |date=1977 |publisher=Greenwood Press |location=Westport |pages=139}}</ref>
[[File:Charles S. Zimmerman Collection Campaign materials, 1937 - 1943 Page 34 Trim.jpg|thumb|right|Card from Altman's 1940 campaign for New York's 23rd congressional district]]
Altman was a frequent candidate for public office, running for New York State Assembly in 1931, 1932, and 1934, for Manhattan Borough President in 1937, and for Congress in New York's 10th district in 1938, all under the Socialist Party ticket. He later joined the American Labor Party, standing as its candidate for Congress in the 23rd district in 1940 and for New York State Senate in 1942. In his last race, he received over 25% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Altman, Jack |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=58312 |access-date=8 July 2025}}</ref>
Altman worked as an organizer for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union between 1942 and 1953. Altman was a member of the provisional committee of the Union for Democratic Action.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Draper |first=Theodore |title=The Roots of American Communism |date=1957 |publisher=Viking Press |location=New York |pages=441}}</ref> He was also active in the American Council for Judaism, serving on its national board.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ross |first=Jack |title=Rabbi Outcast: Elmer Berger and American Jewish Anti-Zionism |date=2011 |publisher=Potomac Books |isbn=9781597978293 |pages=67}}</ref>
==Death== As reported in the New York Times<ref name="Obit"> Article, Special to The New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/1959/01/30/archives/jack-altman-is-dead-exchairman-of-the-socialist-party-in-city-was.html]</ref> of January 30, 1959, "Jack Altman, former chairman of the New York City Socialist Party, and a labor relations and insurance consultant" died of a heart attack on Jan 29, 1959 at the age of 53.
According to the article, Altman collapsed as he drove to his office. A brother-in-law, Leonard Lurie who was seated next to Mr. Altman, managed to stop the car.
Altman was survived his widow, Diana, and two sons, Stephen and Gregory.<ref name=Obit/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{commons-inline}} * [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=58312 Our Campaigns - Altman, Jack]
<!-- Categories -->Category:1906 births Category:1959 deaths Category:Socialist Party of America politicians Category:Socialist Party of America politicians from New York (state) Category:American Labor Party politicians Category:20th-century American trade unionists