Since 1992, Americans have commemorated May as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This month, we explore the creativity and innovation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander graphic novelists. Through illustrations and written expression, graphic novels discuss difficult topics and share deep insights on cultural identity in a compelling and approachable way …
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 …
In 2022, the U.S. Copyright Office welcomed Dr. Brent Lutes to serve as the Office’s first chief economist. Office staff recently sat down with Dr. Lutes and discussed the intersection of economics and copyright as well as some forthcoming economic research the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) is producing. What is the mission of …
During her nearly twenty-five years with the Supreme Court, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was involved in many copyright law cases and wrote the majority opinion for one of the most important decisions, Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc. She was also a copyright owner, writing and registering memoirs and children’s books with the Copyright Office. Learn more about her legal and creative legacy in this blog post.
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 …
This year’s Black History Month theme of Celebrating African Americans and the Arts recognizes the impact of Black artists and their creations as well as the significant role of copyright in creative industries. As part of this year’s celebration, we reflect on the legacy of Alice Walker and her book The Color Purple.
Every year on January 1, a new class of creative works enters the public domain in the United States. This year, a variety of works published in 1928, ranging from motion pictures to music to books, joined others in the public domain. The public domain has important historical and cultural benefits in the lifecycle of copyright. Here we highlight a selection of works entering the public domain in 2024.
This summer, the Copyright Office reached a new milestone in our modernization efforts: one million card catalog records have been digitized with searchable metadata and added to the Office’s Copyright Public Records System (CPRS) pilot. Learn more about CPRS, the Office’s digitization efforts, and historical registration application cards in this blog post.
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.