Original cabinet photo, purchased along with a collection of African American photos that included the educator Hallie Q. Brown... possibly a relative or fellow educator. On the back is written the date, Sunday, March 26, 1899.
EDIT: I discovered that The Library of Congress holds a glass negative of this same portrait in their C.M. Bell / African Americans collection. On the negative she is identified as "M.V. Over".. after some research I believe her full name was Mary Virginia Over, a public school teacher in D.C.... she was born in 1879 in Washington, D.C., married Willian Howison Lewis, Sr., died sometime after 1940.
Dimensions of the mount are 6" x 4.25". Very good antique condition.