"1930 ushered in a new decade and a world teetering between mystery and modernity. It was a year of detectives, jazz, speakeasies, and iconic characters stepping onto the cultural stage, many of whom have been locked behind copyright for nearly a century. Now, at long last, their cases have been reopened. This year, we follow " The Case of the Disappearing Copyright" as beloved sleuths and unforgettable stories slip back into the hands of the public."
"Nancy Drew makes her public domain debut with her first four mystery stories, beginning with The Secret of the Old Clock. Agatha Christie's famed detective Miss Marple appears in her first novel, The Murder at the Vicarage. And Sam Spade, Dashiell Hammett's hard-boiled private eye from The Maltese Falcon, steps into the public domain, ready for new adventures. But the mystery doesn't end there:"
"Betty Boop makes her first appearance in Dizzy Dishes Disney's iconic bloodhound debuts as Rover (later known as Pluto) The Academy Award-winning Best Picture, All Quiet on the Western Front, enters the public domain Beloved classics like The Little Engine That Could join the celebration Timeless musical compositions "Georgia on My Mind," "I Got Rhythm," and "Dream a Little Dream of Me" become free for all to remix and reimagine The Technicolor musical revue King of Jazz joins the party"
Works published in 1930 and sound recordings from 1925 entered the public domain on January 1, 2026. Celebrations are scheduled for January 21 with a virtual event at 10am PT and an in-person film screening and party at the Internet Archive from 6pm–10pm PT. Newly public-domain works include Nancy Drew's first four mysteries beginning with The Secret of the Old Clock, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple debut The Murder at the Vicarage, and Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon. Classic animations, films, and songs such as Betty Boop's Dizzy Dishes, Rover/Pluto, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Little Engine That Could, notable musical compositions, and King of Jazz are now free for reuse and remixing.
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