Elijah mccoy nationality
- •
Colorado State University
Elijah McCoy: Engineer and Inventor
Elijah J. McCoy was born in 1844 to former slaves from Kentucky who escaped to Canada on the Underground Railroad. At the age of 15, his parents arranged for him to travel to Scotland where he apprenticed and, after studying at the University of Edinburgh, received a mechanical engineering degree.
Despite his qualifications and training, McCoy was unable to find work as an engineer in the United States due to racial barriers, as skilled professional positions were not available for African Americans. McCoy eventually accepted a position as a fireman and oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad which is where he developed his first patented invention in 1872. McCoy’s patented device was quickly adopted by the railroads, as it enabled trains to run faster and more profitably with less need to stop for lubrication and maintenance. By 1899, the Michigan Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics reported that the McCoy lubricator was in use on almost all North American railroads.
After the turn of the century, McCoy
- •
Elijah McCoy
Canadian inventor and engineer (1844–1929)
Elijah McCoy | |
|---|---|
McCoy c. 1890[1] | |
| Born | May 2, 1844 Colchester, Ontario, Canada West, Sawcon, Province of Canada[2] |
| Died | October 10, 1929(1929-10-10) (aged 85) Detroit, Michigan, US |
| Resting place | Detroit Memorial Park East in Warren, Michigan, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, inventor, tribologist, railroad fireman and oiler |
| Known for | Invention of the steam engine automatic lubricator |
| Spouses |
|
Elijah J. McCoy (May 2, 1844 [A] – October 10, 1929) was a Canadian-American engineer of African-American descent who invented lubrication systems for steam engines. 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 Off
- •
Over the years, the railroads have benefited from a diverse workforce. Most people think of the Transcontinental Railroad as the most varied workgroup with Asians, primarily Chinese, providing the labor to build the railroad in the West. However, railroads have a much more varied history than that. For example, German and Irish immigrants provided a large part of the workforce in the North, while the South utilized slave and convict labor. Of course, railroads and Pullman Porters go hand in hand when examining railroad history as well. However, each week this month, we will highlight an African American inventor and his contribution to the railroads.
Elijah McCoy (1844-1929)
Elijah McCoy was born in Canada after his parents escaped slavery in Kentucky. At the age of 15, his parents sent him to Edinburgh, Scotland, where he studied mechanical engineering.[1] Once he returned to the U.S., McCoy could not find work worthy of his education, so he became a locomotive fireman and oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad. McCoy fueled the steam engine and lubricated the engine’
Copyright ©airtory.pages.dev 2025