Black History Month: Dr. Charles Richard Drew

Danielle Crane – February 1, 2022 2 Comments

By: Robert Cross

Dr. Drew was an American medical doctor, surgeon, researcher, and teacher who started the idea of a blood bank and a system for the long-term preservation of blood plasma. He found that plasma kept longer than whole blood. His ideas revolutionized the medical profession and have saved countless lives.

He was born in Washington, DC on June 3, 1904 and was educated in the public schools of Washington, DC. He received his undergraduate degree from Amherst College in Massachusetts, medical degree from McGill University School o f Medicine, Montreal, Canada and Doctor of Science in Surgery degree from Columbia University, New York.

Dr. Drew set up and operated the blood plasma bank at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, NY. Drew’s project was the model for the Red Cross’ system of blood banks, of which he became the first director. As director, he was in charge of blood for use by the US Army and Navy. Drew resigned his position as director after the US War Department issued a directive stating that blood taken from white donors should not be mixed with blood taken from black donors. Dr. Drew strongly objected, and stated “the blood of individual human beings may differ by blood groupings, but there is absolutely no scientific basis to indicate any difference in human blood from race to race.” Dr. Drew also formed Britain’s blood bank system.

Dr. Drew died on April 1, 1950 after a car accident in Burlington, North Carolina. Although there is a legend that he died as a result of being denied a blood transfusion and medical care from a “whites-only” hospital, Dr. Drew got immediate medical attention, in part from the other doctors (his friends) who were in the car accident with him (but were less severely injured). Dr. Drew was admitted to a mixed-race hospital, but died after being treated for massive internal injuries. A U.S. postage stamp was issued in 1981 to honor Dr. Drew.

For additional information on Dr. Drew please visit here and here.  Please return next week, as we continue to celebrate Black History Month with an article on Emmett Chappelle.

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