Black leaders reflect on Juneteenth nearly 160 years after Galveston enslaved were freed

Black leaders around the nation are reflecting on the legacy of Juneteenth and the need for the holiday nearly 160 years after the last of enslaved Americans were emancipated. 

“Juneteenth is a time to come together to celebrate freedom, liberty and the resilience that has defined the Black American story from our arrival on these shores in 1619,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday in a statement. 

Although President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan.