This cabinet card features a handsome and fashionably dressed black man. He appears very confident in his three piece suit with his overcoat slung over his arm. This dapper man seems to be going someplace. The photographer and the location of the studio is unknown as this photograph has been trimmed to fit into an album or picture frame. The man may be a celebrity. The number (805) on the left side bottom of the card likely is a card number, indicating that the photograph is one of a series of photographs. Tobacco companies published cabinet card series, including series of cards featuring famous individuals. Perhaps a visitor to this site will leave a comment providing additional information about the identity of the subject of this photograph.
WELL DRESSED AND HANDSOME BLACK GENTLEMAN: POSSIBLE CELEBRITY

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I was intrigued by this picture. My grandmother who was born approximately 1906 in Albany, NY. Her father Dr. Zach Augustus Brookens was a medical doctor in Albany. Don’t know much about him saw a picture once but don’t recall what he looks like. I would appreciate any information about Black medical doctors or him in Albany. I think that he was from Florida and I know that her mother was from Boydton, VA.
I find the photograph intriguing too. In regard to your great grandfather, I can not provide you with much information but I think that if you research him, you should be able to find some interesting biographical facts. I suggest contacting the historical society in Albany as well as a research librarian in the public library there. It is also possible that the medical society there may have a historian. I would also check into any surviving black churches that were in existence during your grand grandfather’s time in Albany. Good luck and please let us know (via another comment) what you find out about Dr. Brookens. Enjoy the search; its usually an adventure. I wanted to help you get started so I did do a very brief search and learned that Dr. Zach Augustus Brookens died exactly 83 years ago to the day (12/31/29). I also learned that he graduated Howard University’s Medical School in Washington D. C..
Yes!!! That’s him!!! Thank you so much. I learned later when I was in college that he went to Howard and wondered why my grandmother never said anything about it. I got accepted there as an undergraduate and decided to go somewhere else and I was a biology major who wanted to go to become a doctor. I changed my major due to the rigor a long with my maturity level. But I often wondered if the knowledge of my great grandfather being a doctor who have made a difference.
I will keep you posted. My life is extremely busy but I will work on this as much as I can. Thanks!!!