brookes served as a faculty member at columbia university and was also a faculty member at clark university. he was the head of the department of science at clark university. he also worked at alabama state university and at florida a & m. he was a founder of alpha delta alpha scientific society at clark university. professor brookes in collaboration with mr. henry lewis van dyke of alabama state college wrote a syllabus for "survey of the physical sciences" via a grant from the general education board of new york city. he is one of the black faces of science on the north carolina a & t mural.