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1844 - Elijah McCoy Born, Inspires “The Real McCoy”

On May 2, 1844, Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, to formerly enslaved parents who escaped through the Underground Railroad. A brilliant mechanical engineer and inventor, McCoy would go on to secure over 50 patents, most notably for an automatic lubricating cup that revolutionized steam engine maintenance in trains and factory machines. His inventions were so effective and trusted that clients would insist on getting “the real McCoy,” a phrase that became synonymous with authenticity and quality. McCoy’s legacy as a master Black inventor defied the racial barriers of his time and left a lasting impact on industrial innovation worldwide.