The following is a guest post by Jessica Chinnadurai, a registration specialist at the U.S. Copyright Office. My first name, Jessica, was the most popular baby girl name in the 1990s. My last name, Chinnadurai, is a unique surname with origins in southern India. The dichotomy has resulted in me being fascinated by names. We …
You are a creator. You are a copyright owner. You are a user of copyright. Copyright law encourages all walks of human life to express their creativity. Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, is a prime example of just how wide copyright law’s inclusivity stretches and proves that registration is within reach for all of us. …
Find dance in copyright! In 1952, Hanya Holm was the first person to register a copyright for choreography or dance. Explore the connection between dance and copyright in the exhibit, Find Yourself in Copyright.
Black history tells powerful stories of innovation, perseverance, triumph, and celebration but also stories of loss, tragedy, trauma, and pain. Historically, African Americans have turned to art for its inexplicable healing powers. There is healing in African American spirituals and in praise dance; in African drums; and in beatboxing, in storytelling, and in rhythm and blues. …
Do you hear the people sing, singing the songs inspired by the public domain? Broadways musicals have a long tradition of pulling inspiration from the plays, short stories, operas, and more in the public domain. Let's take a look at five musicals and what inspired them.
![Beige background with typewritten text: HOLM, HANYA. Kiss me, Kate. Hanya Holm's choreography for Cole Porter's musical comedy. Written in the Laban dance notation by Ann Hutchinson. [Microfilm copy] c Hanya Holm; 25Feb52; DU30088](https://blogs.loc.gov/copyright/files/2022/03/Hanya-Holm-registration-card-for-Kiss-Me-Kate.jpg)
