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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.

A severe drought, coupled with mismanagement by Mexican water authorities, has debilitated the once-mighty Rio Grande. While diplomats fight over the scarce water, downriver farmers in Texas and Mexico grow increasingly desperate. For All Things Considered, John Burnett reports.

A White House commission recommends a variety of ways to promote the adoption of alternative medicine therapies. Critics say the report goes too far and offers false hopes. NPR's Joanne Silberner reports.

South Carolina has a long and complex Jewish history -- at one point, there were more Jewish families in South Carolina than in any other state. NPR's Joshua Levs reports for Morning Edition on a new museum exhibit exploring 300 years of Jewish life in South Carolina.

For baseball fans, Florida's Grapefruit League is pure heaven -- sunny skies in winter, cheap tickets to games and big-name big leaguers up close and personal. For All Things Considered, NPR's Brian Naylor talks to fans enjoying spring training at Dodgertown in Vero Beach.

Writer Andy Bellin. His new book is Poker Nation: A High-Stakes, Low-Life Adventure into the Heart of a Gambling Country. (HarperCollins) Bellin is a graduate school dropout. Hes an editor at the Paris Review and a semiprofessional poker player.

Actor Michael C. Hall plays David Fisher, the gay brother who co-runs a funeral home on the HBO hit series Six Feet Under. The American Film Institute has nominated Hall for Best Male TV Actor-Drama for his role in the series. Hall comes to TV from the stage. Most recently, he was on Broadway as the emcee in Cabaret. Prior to that role, he was in a number of off-Broadway productions.

In 1933, Midwestern artist Thomas Hart Benton painted one of his famous murals for Indiana University. Today, black students are protesting a scene that depicts a Ku Klux Klan rally. The students say it's a painful image and should be removed. Defenders say it honestly reflects a regrettable part of the Hoosier State's history. Will Murphy of member station WFIU reports.

Though many churches are replacing traditional hymns with more upbeat "praise songs," Dale Wiley is determined to preserve the classic church music of his youth. Hymn fan Wiley shares some old-fashioned favorites with host Bob Edwards.

After the driest fall and winter on record, cities and states along the East Coast have declared drought emergencies. For All Things Considered, John Ydstie talks with people from Maine to Georgia to find out how they're managing.