| 2024 in American public domain | |
|---|---|
 One of the most notable works that entered the public domain in 2024 is the Steamboat Willie depiction of Mickey Mouse. The Walt Disney Company had previously lobbied for the extension of copyright length in the United States in order to prevent Mickey Mouse and other characters from entering the public domain, resulting in the Copyright Term Extension Act.[1] | |
| Nickname | Public Domain Day |
| Date(s) | January 1, 2024 |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Country | United States |
| Previous event | 2023 in American public domain |
Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1928, films released in 1928, and other works published in 1928, enter the public domain in 2024. Sound recordings that were published in 1923 enter the public domain.
The most famous work to enter the public domain in the United States in 2024 is Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks's animated film Steamboat Willie, which was the third appearance of Mickey Mouse, but the first Mickey Mouse cartoon to be released. Prior to January 1, 2024, the short film was owned by the Walt Disney Company. Other famous characters' original iterations such as A. A. Milne's Tigger and J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan also entered the public domain.
Notable films such as Charlie Chaplin's The Circus and Harold Lloyd's Speedy and notable literature such as Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence also entered the public domain. Notable songs entering the public domain included I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby; Makin' Whoopee; and You're the Cream in My Coffee.
- ^ Reed, Rachel. "Harvard Law IP expert explains how Disney has influenced US copyright law to protect Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh". Harvard Law School. Retrieved 2023-11-03.