A live look at Washington, D.C. on this Juneteenth, the federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery here in the United States.

We'll go through the historical and political significance of this day.

And it comes as the country is remembering a beloved baseball legend, Willie Mays, considered by many to be the game's greatest all-around player.

And also ahead, Donald Trump's latest gaff with the city of Milwaukee,

where the Republican National Convention will be held in less than a month.

Thank you. last than a month.

Good morning and welcome to way too early on this Wednesday, June 19th. It is indeed Juneteenth. I'm John Flemere. Thanks for starting your day with us. Today, Americans nationwide

are marking Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day. The Emancipation Proclamation,

freeing enslaved people in the Confederate States was signed in 1863, but it did not immediately

end slavery in places that remained under Confederate control.

But it wasn't until June 19, 1865, two full years later, that Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas,

and told more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state that they were now free. The news was met with

large celebrations and in remembrance, black communities across the country hold events,

parties, and parades. The holiday acted as sort of an unofficial independence day for black

Americans. And then in 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act,

which established June 19th as a federal holiday. Joining us now, White House correspondent for Politico

and co-author of the playbook, Eugene Daniels. Eugene, good to see you this morning. So the president

issued a proclamation,

marking again that today is Juneteenth. He said that signing it into law as a federal holiday

back in 2021 was one of his most proudest moments. But he also, at the White House Juneteenth

celebration a week ago, warned about old ghosts in new clothes, threatening that some of the

rights that were won by Juneteenth and beyond could be in jeopardy. Tell us, tell us more,

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