Where did the expression "the real McCoy" come from? There are many legends surrounding the origin of this phrase, one of which revolves around Elijah McCoy, a successful African-American inventor. In his lifetime, Elijah McCoy patented over fifty inventions, none of which is more famous than his automatic oil cup, which eventually became standard equipment on most locomotives and heavy machinery. There were many imitations of McCoy's oil cup, but engineers knew that the model based on McCoy's design was the best of its kind. Hence they asked for "the real McCoy." This may have been the inspiration for the expression which has come to mean the genuine article or "the real thing."

Many details about Elijah McCoy's personal life have been lost over the years, In some cases, biographical information has been scarce and often conflicting. The story of Elijah McCoy's life presented here reflects a composite of existing information we have been able to authenticate.

-- W. T.