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WEKU
WEKU
Neda Ulaby

'Steamboat Willie' is now in the public domain. What does that mean for Mickey Mouse?

Mickey Mouse Steamboat Willie Disney Jennifer Jenkins
The original 1928 script for Disney's Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon to star Mickey Mouse. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

An early Walt Disney movie featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse is among the copyrighted works from 1928 moving into the public domain on Jan. 1, 2024.

But the cartoon creature who stars in the animated short Steamboat Willie isn't a lot like the Mickey we know today. He's more rascally and rough. His roots in the blackface minstrel shows of the time are more apparent.

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