Engineer and Inventor

Born in May of 1844 in Ontario, Canada, Elijah McCoy was
an African-American inventor who made a significant mark on
technical history. His parents were slaves who had escaped from a
Kentucky plantation via the Underground Railroad in the early
1800s. 

After years of living life as fugitives and after Elijah
was born, in 1847 the McCoys moved to Michigan.

RELATED:  THE A TO Z LIST OF BLACK
INVENTORS^[1]

Engineer and Inventor

Elijah first trained as an engineer in Scotland when he was a
teen but after graduating was unable to find work in the United
States. His inability to find work as an engineer was due to racial
barriers in the field at the time. That said, Elijah McCoy soon
found work for a Railroad company. 

Growing up, Elijah was very interested in mechanical devices and
understanding how they work. This early interest is what inspired
his parents to send him to Scotland to get an education.

McCoy accepted the position of fireman and oiler for the
Michigan Central Railroad, working tirelessly in this field of
work. While not employed as an engineer, he had first-hand
experience in the railroad industry which allowed him to make a
number of inventions in this space. 

His inventions

Notably, he first noticed that there were continuous issues with
the oiling systems of axles on rail cars. He designed a cup that
would be filled with oil and distribute the oil evenly over a rail
car’s steam engine’s moving parts.

The patent for this invention was granted to Elijah and he
started building prominence as an inventor in the Railroad
industry.

McCoy’s Lubricator Patent. Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia^[2]

Over his entire life, he received 60 patents.
Many were related to lubrication systems which he found he had a
particular knack for designing, but he did expand his reach into
other industries. He designed ironing boards, sprinkler systems for
lawn care, as well as a plethora of other machines.

While Elijah McCoy made all of these great inventions and
achievements in his lifetime, even getting recognized for them, he
lacked the ability to bring most of them to market. Rather, he
usually would license his patents to companies with the ability to
do so and the products would be sold under that company’s name.

Eventually, all of this licensing of patents did come through in
a positive manner for Elija as near the end of his life, he formed
the McCoy Manufacturing Company. This company successfully
manufactured McCoy’s patented lubricator devices for the railroad
industry. McCoy was finally able to realize his own dream.

 Recognition and Role Model

In the early 1900s, McCoy was acknowledged by his black
counterparts, like Booker T. Washington who recognized him as
having more patents than any other black inventor of the time. For
many, he continues to be a historical role model for the black
community. 

A historical placard in Michigan. Source: Dwight Burdette/Wikimedia^[3]

In fact, if you’re familiar with the popular expression “The
Real Mccoy”, many believe it’s prominence in culture has to do with
McCoy. The theory goes that railroad engineers trying to avoid
inferior designs of lubrication systems on their cars would inquire
if rail cars had “the real McCoy system” fitted to them.

In 2001, Elijah McCoy was inducted into the Inventors Hall of
Fame.