Honda Civic 97 E-brake stuck. How do I fix/disengage it?

I have an old honda civic and was looking around in it. The e-brake had almost never been used and so I lifted it to see if it worked. It worked, but when I released it, the brake light went off and when I tried to back up, The rear end rose and would not move. My fear is that something is rusted out and I'll need to replace it. Is there I way I can just disengage it permanently for I don't ever actually use it.

It is a steel cable system. Really easier just to apply the brake handle harder and release it and see if it will let go. Do it a number of times. It most likely will let go. If not, then the rear rim must be taken off so you can take a 2 lb hammer to the drum and "wail on it where the brake shoes would touch the drum to shock it backwards" I mean wail on it. This is what they do in the shops. And if the shoe moves 1/32" the drum will rotate again. Then the drum should be taken off of the hub and you see brake stuff.
Brakes on many cars rely on the back ones being connected to the parking brake and the parking brake being set correctly. No E brake could mean no brakes whatsoever. Find a buddy who knows more than you about brakes.
BTW 97 is not that old considering I see cars from the 60's and 50's on the road as daily drivers… Not Honda but still they have E brakes.

Could just do it the easy way. Do you live in a state that requires a yearly inspection, they are supposed to check the e brake during the inspection. If you're lucky enough not to live in on of those states, just crawl under the car back by the rear tires, use a small pair of bolt cutters (big wire cutters, a Dremel rotary tool) and cut the cable from both back wheels, also cut the cable so it won't get stuck under the wheels. You said the e brake was almost never used, so it's stuck now, with e brakes you've either got to use them regularly or never!