Elijah McCoy
American engineer (1844-1929) · Canada · On the map · Scientists · Died at 85
Elijah J. McCoy was a Canadian-American engineer of African-American descent who invented lubrication systems for steam engines.
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A typical day, 30 days to 19 September 2026
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About this person
Born free on the Ontario shore of Lake Erie to parents who fled enslavement in Kentucky, he traveled to the United States as a young child when his family returned in 1847, becoming a U.S. resident and citizen. His inventions and accomplishments were honored in 2012 when the United States Patent and Trademark Office named its first regional office, in Detroit, Michigan, the "Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Patent Office".
