Is it allowed to publish someone else's work with attribution?

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   AMFredenburgposted 11 years ago

   Is it allowed to publish someone else's work with attribution?
   
   Is it allowed to publish someone else's work, with proper attribution, under one's own domain? I have a paper written in the 1960s by a seminary student and Civil Rights worker from my church who was killed in Alabama in 1965. I doubt that it was published except as a handout at his funeral, and it is a powerful piece of insight. I would like to publish it with an accompanying introduction that gives a brief bio.

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2. 73

   lone77starposted 11 years ago

   That sounds great, but you might want to contact his surviving family who may own the rights.
   
   It may be possible that something from the 60s isn't protected by current copyright law, but asking the family might be a compassionate thing to do in any event.
   
   I'm sure they'd be touched by the attribution and the honor you plan to bestow.

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      AMFredenburgposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, lone77star: I'm not sure how to contact the family, but I may be able to find out. I know the man had a sister who survived him.

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3. 57

   NotPCposted 11 years ago

   As long as you state prior to the other persons work that you are using someone else's writing and give a reason for doing so. In your case you might say that it is a way for them to live on through their writing or something. I think you should also say when it was written and when and where you came across the piece. If you let your audience know, this sounds like it will make a great article here on HubPages!

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      AMFredenburgposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks; good, sound advice!

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4. 84

   tsmogposted 11 years ago

   I can not answer as a specific. Yet, sharing I posted a short story written by my grandpa here at hubpages. I introduced it with a poem 'The Black.' It is an allegory of a breed of horse called the Gypsy Vanner breed. Following I gave a short history of my gandpa, where I found the story  (it was published else where - main point where and such and such like used at Funeral, so therefore published I would think) and a little of this and that.
   
   Copyright law if very tricky these days. More to it than many may realize. Copyrights still exist on literature going back to the days of the Bible, the Poetic Edda, and the works of Homer and Socrates. Caution is always wise.
   
   You may consider checking out Creative Commons website and doing a license for it in his name posthumously and refer to that created license.
   
   These are suggestions any particulars regarding legal questions you might address Hubpages directly.
   
   tim

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   ahorsebackposted 11 years ago

   I would think as long as you credit them ! You'd be fine and ....sounds like it should be shared !

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   KittHillposted 11 years ago

   I would think it is fine as long as he is credited. Unless you think his family may have a problem with it. If for some reason you make any money from it you may have a problem. You think people are good and generous until money is involved.

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