2006-06-09 10:54:32 · 4 answers · asked by Ray B 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
First, you should clarify what your question is.
But, assuming you are asking how to copyright Union Army prisoner letters, 1) the person who wrote them owns the copyright, unless they have sold it. Owning the paper document does not give you the copyright. 2) If the letters were unpublished as of Jan 1, 1978 (when the 1976 Copyright ACT took effect) the term of the copyright is the life of the author, plus 70 years -- but not to expire December 31, 2047.
Good luck on finding and figuring out what descendent owns the copyright.
2006-06-09 11:26:00 · answer #1 · answered by C_Bar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not sure what your question is. Do you have 8 civil war Union Army prisoner letters? If so, that could be very valuable. As to copyrighting them -- copyright belongs to the originator, but in this case, the men who wrote the letters are long gone. There must be some way around it, because works of the great masters, Da Vinci, etc. can't be published willy nilly even though their originators are long gone too.
2006-06-09 18:06:40 · answer #2 · answered by old lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you could copy them if you are intersted cause of al the time that lapsed if there was a copyright on them it would be dead.
2006-06-09 18:05:06 · answer #3 · answered by longhunter17692002 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact: http://www.copyright.gov/
They answer by email, or, you can call them.
2006-06-09 18:11:32 · answer #4 · answered by newyorkgal71 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋