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On this day in 1991, Eritrea declared victory in its civil war with Ethiopia and claimed its independence.

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Elijah McCoy was an African American inventor who is credited with 57 inventions over his lifetime. He was noted for his contributions to the lubrication of steam engines. On this day in 1887, he received a patent for a lubricator for safety valves. The popular reference to the real McCoy, meaning the real thing, is a testament to his talents.