Betty Hall | |
|---|---|
 Hall in 2009 | |
| Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives | |
| In office 2004–2008 | |
| In office 1986–2002 | |
| In office 1978–1982 | |
| In office 1970–1974 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Beatrice Perin Barker March 18, 1921 Koblenz, Germany |
| Died | April 26, 2018 (aged 97) Petersburgh, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent (since 2010) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (1986–2010) Republican (until 1986) |
| Spouse |
Sidney Leavitt Hall
(m. 1944; died 1987) |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent | Joseph Warren Barker (father) |
| Alma mater | Barnard College |
Beatrice Perin Barker Hall (March 18, 1921 – April 26, 2018) was an American politician from the state of New Hampshire. Hall served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives for a total of 28 years, serving non-consecutively from 1970 until 2008.
Hall grew up in New York City, where she attended Barnard College. In 1948, she and her husband moved to the town of Brookline, New Hampshire, where they started a textile manufacturing firm. Beginning in the 1950s and early 1960s, Hall began participating in local politics, serving on several boards and commissions in Brookline. Hall was elected to the Brookline school board in 1963, and in 1972, she was elected to the town board of selectmen.
Hall's career in statewide politics began in 1970 when she was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives as a member of the Republican Party. In 1986, Hall switched her party affiliation to the Democratic Party, citing the Republican Party's shift towards conservatism during the Reagan Era. During her political career, Hall was described as a firebrand who frequently bucked her party. While a Republican, Hall was seen as a liberal member of that party, and was considered to be a political enemy by conservative leaders. In the Democratic Party, Hall was a member of the grassroots base, challenging the party's establishment in a 2007 campaign for chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
In the 2000s, Hall became nationally known for her activism. In 2004, she was arrested for disorderly conduct for her participation in a protest against President George W. Bush; she was later acquitted of the charge. In 2008, Hall introduced New Hampshire House Resolution 24, which would have petitioned the United States Congress to introduce articles to impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for their actions leading to and during the Iraq War. While the bill ultimately failed, it generated a large amount of media coverage.