Benjamin Banniker

Benjamin Banneker was a self-educated scientist, astronomer, inventor, writer, and antislavery publicist. Banneker was one of the first African Americans to gain distinction in science. In 1753, he built the first watch made in America, a wooden pocket watch. Twenty years later, Banneker began making astronomical calculations that enabled him to successfully forecast a 1789 solar eclipse. His estimate contradicted the predictions of better-known mathematicians and astronomers of the time. Banneker first achieved national acclaim for his …

…for steam engines. This invention kept the locomotives constantly lubricated, preventing frequent stops and overheating, and increasing the profitablity of railroads. He patented the lubricating cup in 1872. It worked so well that Machinists and engineers who wanted genuine McCoy lubricators began to use the expression "the real McCoy" to request his specific product. The "Lubricating Cup" represents the most profitable of his more than 58 patents, which included a folding ironing board and an automatic sprinkler.