June 19, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In our news wrap Friday, the mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, says one of the police officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor will be fired. Two others remain on administrative reassignment pending results of an investigation into the March shooting inside Taylor’s apartment. Also, the U.S. Navy has upheld the firing of an aircraft carrier captain who warned of COVID-19 aboard his ship.

Americans marked this Juneteenth holiday with marches and rallies nationwide. The date commemorates when the last slaves were freed in the United States, which was more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and over a century and a half ago. This year’s Juneteenth served as both a day of celebration -- and an urgent call to action. Amna Nawaz reports.

The historic Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was known a century ago as “the Black Wall Street” for being among the most prosperous parts of the U.S. for Black Americans. But in 1921, a white mob murdered some 300 Black residents and burned much of Greenwood to ashes. Now Tulsa is observing the Juneteenth holiday amid anxiety about President Trump’s looming rally. Yamiche Alcindor reports

Protests over the killing of George Floyd have struck a global chord. Across the African continent, they have sparked not only demonstrations, but also a new examination of the roles of race, colonialism and exploitation through the centuries. The reputation of the United States as a safe and desirable place to visit is also under scrutiny. Special correspondent Michale Baleke reports from Uganda.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including major Supreme Court decisions on LGBTQ employment protections and DACA, the claims from John Bolton’s new book about President Trump’s interactions with foreign leaders and whether Joe Biden will pick a woman of color as his running mate.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to claim the lives of hundreds of Americans every day. Judy Woodruff remembers five of them, including a 29-year-old registered nurse and a 48-year-old firefighter.

The past several weeks have been tumultuous ones for American race relations. Between a pandemic disproportionately affecting Black people and new incidents of police violence, Juneteenth has taken on increased public prominence. Yamiche Alcindor talks to Mark Anthony Neal, professor of African and African American Studies at Duke University, about this unique moment -- and hope for change.

As several states experience surges in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the debate over wearing face masks is creating a sharp divide. Nearly everyone in the public health community says masks worn in crowded places can help slow coronavirus spread -- but for some Americans, they are perceived as an affront. William Brangham reports and talks to Dr. Ranit Mishori of Georgetown University.