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Last year, Gates uncovered a manuscript of a novel purportedly written in the 1850s by an African American woman who had been a slave. It is the first known work of its kind and has great historical and literary significance. The Bondwomans Narrative by Hannah Crafts, edited by Henry Louis Gates, has just been published (Warner Books). Well talk with Gates about the process of finding, authenticating and publishing the novel. Gates is the W.E.B. DuBois Professor of Humanities and chair of the Department of African-American Studies at Harvard University. Hes published seven books and has received many awards for his work.

NPR's Melissa Block talked to people in Martinsburg, W. Va. about their reactions to President Bush's address last night about the crisis with Iraq. West Virginia has always been a state whose sons and daughters have served and died in high proportions in wars. Block finds almost universal support for settling the conflict in Iraq with force. But people express varying degrees of fear about what will happen next. Some fear chemical attacks and even a spread of war around the globe. More than 100 Martinsburg reservists are in southwest Asia.

Twenty thousand Native Americans assembled in Washington on Tuesday for a parade of nations and blessing of the new Museum of the American Indian. Hear museum director W. Richard West and several opening ceremony participants.

Marius Benson reports from Cape Town that former President F.W. de Klerk apologized to South Africa's Truth Commission today for the decades of white minority rule carried out by the apartheid regime he once led. De Klerk expressed sympathy for all those who suffered under apartheid, although he denied allegations his government ordered the murders of some anti-apartheid activists. De Klerk, the last president under apartheid, freed Nelson Mandela in 1990 and set in motion the dismantling of the system of white domination.

Marius Benson reports from Pretoria on the reaction of the Inkatha Freedom Party to this week's passage of South Africa's new constitution, and the withdrawal from the unity government of the mainly white National Party. The Zulu-led Inkatha--which has been locked for years in a bloody war with the ruling African National Congress--is now the largest minority party in the government. National Party leader F-W De Klerk suggested today that Inkatha might want to follow his lead and quit the government. But Inkatha officials say that in spite of their dislike of the new constitution and the A-N-C, for now they will stay on.

W.M. Stepp was an obscure fiddle player from Kentucky who was recorded by Alan Lomax in 1937. One of the tunes captured on acetate was Stepp's version of "Bonaparte's Retreat." Up to then, the tune was usually played as a march. Stepp played it as a hoedown. Aaron Copland got hold of Stepp's version and used it almost note for note as the "Hoedown" in his music for Agnes DeMille's ballet, "Rodeo." Folklorist Stephen Wade - best-known for his stage show, "Banjo Dancing" - discovered all of this on a research trip to the Library of Congress's Archive of Folk Culture and presents it in the first of a series of occasional musical commentaries. (4:00) ((ST

Excerpts from the nationally broadcast speeches last night by Al Gore and George W. Bush. Vice President Gore said he strongly disagrees with Tuesday's Supreme Court decision but "accepts the finality of the outcome." He conceded his defeat "for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy." President-elect Bush spoke of "a desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past." He added, "Our nation must rise above a house divided. Americans share hopes and goals and values far more important than any political disagreements."

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday in the case of Bush versus Gore. Attorneys for Texas Governor George W. Bush asked for the counting of Florida's presidential ballots to be halted permanently. Gore is asking that the justices to allow the recount to resume. The number of demonstrators dropped today after the wild scene outside the court yesterday. But, inside, many more journalists than usual are watching developments. Noah talks with NPR's Nina Totenberg about the wait for the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

President Elect George W. Bush today announced three more members of his cabinet, naming the new heads of the Departments of Energy, Labor and Transportation. The energy job went to Spencer Abraham, a Republican senator from Michigan who lost his bid for re-election in November. The new labor secretary will be Linda Chavez, who served in the administration of President Ronald Reagan. And Bush made good on his intention to have a bipartisan cabinet by picking a Democrat, Norman Mineta, who is in the current cabinet. Mineta, a longtime congressman, is now the secretary of commerce, will become the secretary of transportation. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

Robert and Noah bring us excerpts from today's arguments by attorneys for George W. Bush and Al Gore before the Florida Supreme Court, in the Gore contest of the state election results. Gore attorney David Boies argued in favor of hand counting thousands of ballots from Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties. Bush attorney Barry Richard argued against such a count. The justices appeared concerned with the limited amount of time left to do any further ballot counting, as well as the question of whether they have any jurisdiction in the case.