Elijah McCoy moved to Michigan after the Civil war. Employed as a railroad engineer, one of McCoy's responsibilities was to keep the moving parts of the railroad engine lubricated. This tedious task inspired McCoy to automate the lubrication process, virtually ending the need to periodically stop an engine. During McCoy's career, he received more than 56 patent for devices which improved versions of his automatic lubrication process. His other inventions include the lawn sprinkler, ironing table and the steam cylinder lubricator.
Ragtime is variation on classical music.
In 1907 Joplin write the opera Tremonisha about the nonviolent struggles of an 18 year old girl who becomes the leader o f recently freed slaves. After several unsuccessful attempts at producing this play, Joplin died in a state hospital in 1917. He was buried in a paupers grave in New York City.