The inventor considered to be the forefather of modern keyrings was the owner of two thriving shoe factories. He was also gifted with a great voice, which took him to the court of Queen Victoria....

MULTITASKING AT A HIGH LEVEL

Fredrick J. Loudin was an African American, the child of free farmers in Ohio. He excelled in education and was one of the few black citizens to graduate from college at the time. A gifted musician, he composed, taught music and conducted a choir. But that was not all - he was also a businessman who successfully ran a large shoe manufacturing business.

Although he spent several years touring the continents as a member of an African-American gospel choir called the Fisk Jubilee Singers (singing for Queen Victoria of the British Empire, among others), he found time to invent and patent (in 1864) what is believed to be the first keyring.

SPECIAL PURPOSE KEYRING

From our point of view, the resemblance of the so-called "key clasp" by Loudin to a keyring is only slight. However, given that the clasp was permanently attached to the key and the key was carried with it, it comes closest to the definition of a keyring definition. So what was this clasp for?

It was an anti-burglary system. Firstly, it was permanently attached to the key, making it difficult to lose. Secondly, once the key was inserted into the lock, it prevented the key from being removed from the outside. Thirdly, it prevented the door knob from being turned, by enclosing the key in the lock and the knob at the same time. Sadly, racism prevented Loudin from getting the full credit he deserved.

However, his memory lives on, and we are here to pass it on to you.

However, his memory lives on, and we hereby pass it on.