after a strange of deadly storms barreled through the region, leaving at least six people dead and dozens of others injured we re in a texas community still picking up the pieces. later highway collapse pennsylvania s governor vowing to reopen that busy stretch of interstate 95 through philly within weeks let s begin with the breaking news out of china this morning. u.s. secretary of state antony blinken just departing beijing after that high-stakes meeting with china s president xi jinping. that included the secretary s crucial two-day visit aimed at stabilizing the spiraling relationship between the two countries, upended recently by the downing of a spy balloon and this tense encounter by a chinese fighter plane and a u.s. jet. plus the encounter with military ships. let s discuss with janis mackey frayer in beijing as well as nbc senior white house correspondent kelly o donnell standing by in washington we know the meeting between blinken and xi lasted about 35 minutes,
juneteenth is a federal holiday, but it s interesting that it s not exactly recognized on the state level all across the country. only 28 states and d.c. consider it to be an official public holiday meaning people have the day off work, schools are closed, et cetera. what do you make of that well, i think those states should join this movement to make juneteenth a day to celebrate, a day to remember history, but also, ana, a day for reaffirmation of commitment to do the work towards the goal of racial justice and a multiracial inclusionary america. so it s a scelebratory day of freedom, a celebratory day of justice, a celebratory day of independence it took the 13th amendment ratified by the states, passed through the congress to put an official end to slavery and to ban it as a practice in the united states on a permanent