[2] One of eight children, all of whom received a college education, Nabrit was elected valedictorian of his high school class in 1921.

[2] Nabrit began his teaching career at Morehouse College in 1925 where was a professor of zoology and named Chair of the biology department in 1932.

In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Nabrit to the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

One year later, Nabrit founded the Southern Fellowship Fund in an effort to assist African-American students pursuing doctoral degrees.

He directed the program (later known as the National Fellowship Fund of the Council of Southern Universities) well into his later years of life.