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W E L C O M E !
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* * * CELEBRATE AFRICAN AMERICAN ENGINEERS * * *
DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
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Related Resources are Right
Here
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ANSWER:
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Elijah McCoy
Elijah McCoy (1843 - 1929) was a mechanical engineer and inventor. McCoy was born in
Colchester, Ontario, Canada, to former slaves (George and Emillia McCoy), who had fled the USA.
McCoy was educated as a mechanical engineer in Edinburgh, Scotland; he then moved to Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Despite his education, employers would not consider the African American engineer for the work he desired and
would hire him only as a fireman and oilman on a steam-engine train. His employers could not contain
McCoy's passion for engineering and inventing, however; McCoy's first
invention was a revolutionary way of lubricating steam engines without having to
shut them down. This automatic lubricator saved an enormous amount of time and effort
in transportation and in industrial production. Customers began asking for this and other high-quality industrial
inventions as "the real McCoy", hence the basis for the popular expression. By 1920, McCoy had a total of 57 patents, his own company and was known throughout the world for
his inventions.
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