Cotton Canvas Tote Bag (Charles Richard Drew)

Charles Richard Drew was a pioneering figure in the field of medical science, particularly known for his groundbreaking work in the development and organization of blood banks1.

Born on June 3, 1904, in Washington, D.C., Drew grew up in a middle-class African American family1. He was an athlete in his youth and earned a bachelor’s degree at Amherst College in Massachusetts2. He then attended McGill University in Montreal, where he received his medical and surgical degrees in 19332.

Drew’s interest in the science and medicine of blood transfusions began during his residency at Montreal Hospital2. He later joined the faculty of the Howard University College of Medicine and the surgical staff at Freedmen’s Hospital2.

In 1938, he was recommended for a Rockefeller fellowship to undertake specialty surgical training at Presbyterian Hospital in New York and pursue his doctorate in medical science at Columbia University2. There, he did extensive original research in blood chemistry, fluid replacement, and the variables affecting blood preservation2.

His doctoral thesis, “Banked Blood: A Study in Blood Preservation,” made him the first African American to earn a doctorate in medical science from Columbia2. His research led to the development of processing and storing plasma in blood banks3.

During World War II, Drew applied his expert knowledge to developing large-scale blood banks, which allowed medics to save thousands of Allied forces’ lives1. He also organized America’s first large-scale blood bank and worked with the American Red Cross4.

However, Drew protested against the practice of racial segregation in the donation of blood, as it lacked scientific foundation1. He resigned his position with the American Red Cross, which maintained the policy until 19501.

Charles Richard Drew’s contributions to medical science and his pioneering work in the field of blood transfusions have had a lasting impact, earning him the title “father of the blood bank.