Los Angeles activists hail Juneteenth holiday action

The U.S. government is catching up with Black people who have been commemorating the end of slavery in the United States for generations with a day called "Juneteenth."

President Joe Biden is expected to sign a bill Thursday that was passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19th, as a federal holiday.

Activists in Los Angeles hailed the decision during a press conference in the city.

"Today is a great day. It's a great day in our nation," said activist Najee Ali. "We want to thank President Biden for signing the Juneteenth bill into federal law."

But others called this the beginning of a larger goal.

"What I hope to see is that following the passing of this law that makes the federal holiday and the signing of the president, that we get on those reparations so that African-Americans across this country can say that they got the big pay back," said Rev. Shane Harris, a civil and human rights activist.

The Senate approved it unanimously; only 14 House Republicans - many representing states that were part of the slave-holding Confederacy in the 19th century - opposed the measure.