After earning a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in educational administration from Wayne State University he earned a doctorate in educational administration from the University of California, Berkeley in 1964.
[3] On September 1, 1981, Fort assumed the responsibilities of chancellor of North Carolina A&T State University.
[4] Under Fort's leadership, North Carolina A&T established itself on the national level as a leader in engineering and technology education.
[4] During the Fort administration, the university initiated more than 30 new academic programs and awarded its first doctoral degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering.
[1] The Edward B. Fort Interdisciplinary Research Center (IRC) on the campus of North Carolina A&T was named in his honor in March 1999.