Birthday Celebrations — May 2

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on May 2 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Elijah McCoy

Born May 2, 1844 — Died October 10, 1929

Field: Invention / Engineering / Industrial Technology

Elijah McCoy was an inventor and engineer best known for lubrication systems that helped steam engines and heavy machinery run more efficiently. His automatic lubricator allowed engines to be lubricated while running, saving time and improving industrial performance.

Why it matters: McCoy is a major Black inventor entry because his work speaks directly to the machinery of modern industry. His name is often connected to the phrase “the real McCoy,” though that origin should be worded carefully because it is debated.

Roscoe Lee Browne

Born May 2, 1922 — Died April 11, 2007

Field: Theater / Film / Television / Voice Performance

Roscoe Lee Browne was an actor, narrator, poet, and performer known for his commanding voice and elegant screen and stage presence.

Why it matters: Browne represents a lane of Black performance built on dignity, language, voice, and range. His career shows how Black actors carried authority even when the entertainment industry tried to limit the roles available to them.

James Byrd Jr.

Born May 2, 1949 — Died June 7, 1998

Field: Civil Rights Memory / Hate-Crime History / Racial Violence

James Byrd Jr. was a Black man murdered in Jasper, Texas, in a racist hate crime. His death later became part of the national conversation around hate-crime law and racial violence in modern America.

Why it matters: Byrd’s entry should be handled as remembrance, not as a standard birthday celebration. His life and death belong in the continuing history of racial violence, public memory, and the fight for legal accountability.

Wear the history: Elijah McCoy — from the Black Knowledge Wear collection.