Today In Black History
The "Real McCoy"
Issue #490 Today In Black History, Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Today’s Black History WOW!
Elijah McCoy, also known as the “Real McCoy,” was born on May 2, 1844, in Colchester, Ontario, and his family lived in Ypsilanti, Michigan many years. He made significant contributions to the field of mechanical engineering.
At the age of 15, in 1859, Elijah McCoy was sent to Scotland. While there he was apprenticed and, after studying at the University of Edinburgh, certified as a mechanical engineer.
One of McCoy's most notable inventions was the automatic lubrication system, which revolutionized the efficiency and safety of machinery in the industrial era. Before his invention, machines had to be stopped periodically for manual lubrication, leading to costly downtime. McCoy's system, patented in 1872, allowed for continuous lubrication, significantly improving productivity and reducing the risk of accidents.
Lubricators were a boon for railroads, as they enabled trains to run faster and more profitably with less need to stop for lubrication and maintenance. By 1899, the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics reported that the McCoy lubricator was in use on almost all North American railroads.
His invention was so groundbreaking that when people wanted the best quality, they would often ask if the machine had "the real McCoy" automatic lubrication system. This phrase soon became popular and was later used figuratively to mean the genuine or highest quality version of something. Thus, Elijah McCoy became synonymous with excellence and authenticity, earning him the moniker "the Real McCoy."
Throughout his life, McCoy filed nearly 60 patents for various inventions, including a folding ironing board, a lawn sprinkler, and a portable ironing table, among others. His contributions to the industrial world were recognized and praised, even though he faced significant discrimination as an African American in a time of racial segregation.
In 1922, Elijah and his wife, Mary, were involved in a serious automobile accident. Mary died, while Elijah suffered severe injuries. McCoy never fully recovered from his injuries, and died on October 10, 1929. He is buried in Detroit Memorial Park East in Warren, Michigan.
Today In Black History
- In 1820, the first organized emigration back to Africa began when 86 free African Americans left New York Harbor aboard the “Mayflower of Liberia,” sailing for the British Colony of Sierra Leone, which welcomed free African Americans as well as fugitive slaves. They were sponsored by the American Colonization Society.
- In 1843, the first minstrel show in the United States, the “Virginia Minstrels,” opened at the Bowery Amphitheater in New York City.
- In 1956, the University of Alabama suspended student Autherine Lucy, claiming it could no longer provide for her safety.
- In 1961, the first meeting of the Provisional Congress of Confederate States of America was held.
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