I am wondering if Susan B Anthony's Addresses Judge Ward Hunt in 'The United States of America vs. Susan B. Anthony' which is reprinted in 'Voices of a People's History (ed. Howard Zinn & Anthony Arnove) is something we need permission to reprint? Also wondering what the rule is, regarding writings over 50 years old, or 100 years old -- I have heard both.
No, you do not need permission to reprint this for a couple of reasons:
1). It is automatically in the public domain by virtue of its being a US Circuit Court Document. Works by the US Government are not eligible for US copyright protection.
(This is the document I'm referring to, please confirm this is what you mean: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/history/dubois/classes/995/98F/doc34.htm)
2). Even if it had been at one time been protected under US Copyright (which it was not), its term would likely have ended by now. Here is a quick breakdown of the rules. Its more complicated than this, so I am providing you with several links that deal with the minutia.
For unpublished works:
copyright term was life of the author plus 70 years, so if the author died before 1935, the work passed into the public domain in January of 1935
For works published in the US:
Before 1923
In the public domain
1923 through 1977
Published without a copyright notice
In the public domain
1978 to 1 March 1989
Published without notice, and without subsequent registration
In the public domain
1978 to 1 March 1989
Published without notice, but with subsequent registration
70 years after the death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation
1923 through 1963
Published with notice but copyright was not renewed
In the public domain
1923 through 1963
Published with notice and the copyright was renewed
95 years after publication date
1964 through 1977
Published with notice
95 years after publication date
1978 to 1 March 1989
Published with notice
70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation
After 1 March 1989
70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation
Resources:
Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
1 January 2005
http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/training/copyrightterm.pdf
When Works Pass Into the Public Domain by Lolly Gasaway (She's the bomb on this)
http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm
Copyright Durations
http://www.bromsun.com/practice/copyrights/copyright_durations.html
This site has a flowchart of copyright terms if you are into graphical representations.
Paste this script into your browser as the URL: javascript:NewWindow('flowchart.html','flowchart','722','540','yes')
Copyright basics from the US Copyright office
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#piu
Please let me know if this answers your question.
Best, Michele