The phrase 'the real McCoy' means something that is the real thing, not an imitation. There are many ideas about where this phrase came from - one is that it was used to describe an invention made by Canadian-American Elijah McCoy. The device, a cup which delivered oil to a moving engine, was so good many people copied it. The copies were not very good, so people made sure they always asked for 'the real McCoy'.
Birth
Elijah McCoy was an inventor. He was born in 1843 in Canada. His parents were originally slaves. They had run away from the southern states of America to Canada. McCoy's father was in the British army. Because of this he was given 65 hectares of land.
Education
At the age of 15 McCoy was sent to Edinburgh, Scotland to serve an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering. When he came back to the United States, he could not find work. He took a job as a fireman on a steam train. This is when he thought up his first invention.
Inventions