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By: Ashley Tucker
The following blog is authored by Ashley Tucker, with legal research by Jessica Chinnadurai and Laura Kaiser. Over the last several years on January 1, we have witnessed a new class of creative works entering the public domain in the United States. In 2026, a variety of works published in 1930, ranging from motion pictures to music …
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
The U.S. Copyright Office provides a wide range of resources to support creators, educators, and other copyright users, but some of the most valuable tools can fly under the radar. Here are five lesser-known Office resources that can help you better understand, register, and manage your creative works. 1. Copyright Registration Toolkit This year, the …
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
The U.S. Copyright Office recently released the Copyright Registration Toolkit: a highly visual guide that breaks down key steps and concepts to help creators navigate the copyright system. The toolkit was designed for authors, artists, musicians, and others as they manage their own creative works as well as for business and legal advisors who support …
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
The following is a guest blog post by Miriam Lord, Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Public Information and Education. Each year on April 26, the U.S. Copyright Office joins intellectual property organizations around the world in celebrating World Intellectual Property Day. This year’s theme, set by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), is …
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
The Copyright Office celebrates Women’s History Month and this year’s theme, “Women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion.” As part of this year’s celebration, Copyright Office staff sat down with Sarah Beth Morgan, an animation director, illustrator, and muralist who has practiced art across the country. Morgan attended Savannah College of Art and Design …
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
Since 1988, Americans have observed Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. This blog explores the impactful careers and creative contributions of Hispanic and Latin American creators: Linda Ronstadt, José Andrés, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Rita Moreno. Discover how their contributions are connected to the Copyright Office.
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month, when we recognize the history and impact of LGBTQ individuals in the United States. This year, the Copyright Office celebrates Pride Month and extends our World Intellectual Property Day campaign by spotlighting Olivia Charmaine Morris (she/her), who is a queer media mogul and entrepreneur …
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
This year’s theme of Black Resistance is a reminder that while Black history holds captivating stories of innovation, triumph, pride, and joy, we must also acknowledge the many ways that African Americans have had to resist historic and ongoing oppression. As part of this year’s celebration, Office staff sat down with Dakarai Akil, a dynamic, Los Angeles-based collage artist, for a conversation about collage art, creative process, identity, and Black resistance. Akil has engaged with the copyright system, and over the span of his career, he self-published three art books and had his work published in The New York Times, Wired Magazine, and Readers Digest. Akil’s website describes his creations as “small windows into the worlds of Black surrealism & afrofuturism,” and he describes his own work as challenging expectations.
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
This year, we are celebrating Native American Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Day with a blog series called Celebrating the Firsts: Shining a Light on Trailblazing Artwork by Native Artists. This blog post is the third in the series and focuses on Tribal Force, a comic book by writer Jon Proudstar (Yaqui/Mayan) and artist Ryan Huna Smith (Chemehuevi/Navajo). Published in 1996, this work moved the needle forward as America’s first comic to feature a team of Native American superheroes.
Posted in: Copyright
By: Ashley Tucker
This year, we are celebrating Native American Heritage Month and Native American Heritage Day with a blog series called Celebrating the Firsts: Shining a Light on Trailblazing Artwork by Native Artists. In this four-part series, we are recognizing five indigenous creators who have participated in our copyright system and enriched our culture. Join us on a …
Posted in: Copyright