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Black man sits in front of a desk with three monitors, processing books from a library cart next to him

Copyright Deposit Requirements May Be Easier Than You Think

Posted by: Nora Scheland

The best edition physical deposit requirement for copyright registration has long been a key part of U.S. copyright law, but in recent years, the U.S. Copyright Office has worked to clarify and simplify some of the deposit requirements. This blog post outlines some of the recent changes and where to find more information.

Artist, Dakarai Akil, standing on top of a rectangle rug and in front of two red chairs and a red wall with a work of art hanging on it.

A Tale of Black Resistance through Collage Artwork

Posted 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.

First Novel by a Native American Writer to Win a Pulitzer Prize House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday

Celebrating the Firsts: First Novel by a Native American Writer to Win a Pulitzer Prize

Posted by: Nora Scheland

This Native American Heritage Month, we are celebrating the "firsts" in a blog series called, "Celebrating the Firsts: Shining a Light on Trailblazing Artwork by Native Artists." This blog features the first novel by a Native American writer to win the Pulitzer Prize. The novel is called House Made of Dawn and was written by N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa).

First comic to feature a team of Native American superheroes: Tribal Force by Jon Proudstar and Ryan Huna Smith

Celebrating the Firsts: First Comic to Feature a Team of Native American Superheroes

Posted 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.

In top right corner, an open ink bottle is next to a fountain pen. Some drips of ink surround the tip. YText reads, "First Published Novel by a Native American Woman: Wynema: A Child of the Forest by S. Alice Callahan"

Celebrating the Firsts: First Published Novel by a Native American Woman

Posted 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 …