B H This Day in Black History

October 9

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October 9, 1872

The Real McCoy Inventor

On July 12, 1872, Elijah McCoy received his first patent for an automatic lubricating cup that allowed machines to be oiled while running. Born to formerly enslaved parents who escaped via the Underground Railroad, McCoy held 57 patents and his name became synonymous with quality.

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People: Elijah McCoy
Sources
1. Elijah McCoy - National Park Service2. Elijah McCoy: The Real McCoy - PBS LearningMedia3. Elijah McCoy - Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

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