Black History on May 2nd

1844 - Elijah McCoy is born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada. He will become a master inventor and holder of over 50 patents. He will be the inventor of a device that allows machines to be lubricated while they are still in operation. Machinery buyers insisted on McCoy lubrication systems when buying new machines and will take nothing less than what becomes known as the "real McCoy." The inventor's automatic oiling devices will become so universal that no heavy-duty machinery will be considered adequate without it, and the expression becomes part of America culture.

1968 - The Poor People's March, led by Ralph D. Abernathy, begins as caravans from all over the country leave for Washington, DC., to protest poverty and racial discrimination.

1990 - The government of South Africa and the African National Congress open their first formal talks aimed at paving the way for more substantive negotiations on dismantling apartheid.

1992 - Los Angeles begins a massive cleanup and rebuilding effort after three days of widespread civil unrest. The April 29 acquittal of four police officers in the 1991 beating of motorist Rodney G. King fueled perceptions of unequal justice for African Americans and sparked multiracial violence that resulted in unprecedented figures of 58 deaths, over 2,000 injuries, over 600 fires, $1 billion in property damage and spread to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle, Atlanta, Madison (Wisconsin), and Toronto.

1994 - Nelson Mandela claims victory in the wake of South Africa's first democratic elections. President F.W. de Klerk acknowledges defeat.

1999 - Reverend Jesse Jackson, who leads a group of religious leaders to the country of Serbia, obtains the release of three American Army prisoners of war, Staff Sgt. Andrew A. Ramirez, 24, of Los Angeles;Spc. Steven M. Gonzales, 21, of Huntsville, Texas; and Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Stone, 25, of Smiths Creek, Mich. at 4:45 EST.

---