Yes, common everyday items, like the hairbrush and the fountain pen were invented by African Americans. Check the Scholastic.com website for some engaging learning opportunities for people of all ages to explore and learn about inventions created by African Americans that have shaped our world.
Photos and information below are from Scholastic.com
Lyda D. Newman invented the hairbrush in 1898 
Henry T. Sampson, an aerospace engineer is credited with inventing the technology that allows us to use cellphones 
Mark E. Dean is the co-creator of the IBM personal computer
Marie Van Brittan Brown invented the first home tv security system in 1966 
Otis Boykin invented a technology in 1959 called “wire precision resistor” that ushered in improvements for the efficiency of pacemakers 
Lewis Latimer invented the incandescent light bulb in 1881, making lighting affordable for the average household
Garret A. Morgan invented the traffic light in 1923 
W.B. Purvis invented the fountain pen in 1890 
Alexander Miles invented automatic doors for elevators in 1887