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ARTICLE · 12 JANUARY 2018

Martin Luther King, Jr. And Copyright: Five Things You Should Know

Foley Hoag LLP
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January 15 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, marking what would have been the 89th birthday of the great civil rights leader and Baptist minister.

United StatesIntellectual Property
Foley Hoag LLP
Foley Hoag LLP
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January 15 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, marking what would have been the 89th birthday of the great civil rights leader and Baptist minister. Although copyright is not (and should not be) the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Dr. King, the impact of his legacy on copyright law ought to be somewhere on the list. Indeed, Dr. King's name has popped up as the litigant, author, or subject matter of dozens of copyright cases. Here are five things you should know about Martin Luther King, Jr. and copyright law.

1. The "I Have a Dream" Speech is Protected by Copyright . . .

Dr. King delivered his "I have a dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. After the march, Dr. King entered into negotiations with Motown Records to distribute the speech, but several other records companies beat him to the punch and started selling unauthorized LPs. Dr. King registered the text of his speech with the U.S. Copyright Office in

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