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History in the Blackmun Files

The archived records of Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun are released to the public, five years after his death, as he had instructed. Among the half-million items are Blackmun's personal notes and those of other justices, discussing everything from a case's merits to court gossip. The documents shed light on dramatic legal battles, including Chief Justice William Rehnquist's repeated efforts to weaken Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling written by Blackmun. Hear NPR's Nina Totenberg, who was the only broadcast journalist given advance access to the files.

Copyright 2004 NPR

Nina Totenberg is NPR's award-winning legal affairs correspondent. Her reports air regularly on NPR's critically acclaimed newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition.