[5][6] Brooks received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) and later earned a Master's in Elementary Education from the college.
[1] In 1955, Brooks began her teaching career at Charles Houston Elementary School.
Throughout her adult life, Brooks held leadership roles with the Girl Scouts, United Way, and American Red Cross.
[1] When her husband, Leo A. Brooks Sr. retired as a Major general and was hired as the Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia, Brooks was the executive director of the Coles House organization serving young women around the world.
[13][14] In 2019, shortly before her death, Brooks was selected to receive the "Dean's Cross" award from the Virginia Theological Seminary, a recognition of "outstanding leaders who embody their baptismal vows to strive for justice and peace among all people."