June 3 |

Charles Richard Drew

Charles R Drew portrait — Dr. Charles R. Drew

After receiving first aid treatment in practice raid in Washington, DC, air-raid `victim' is removed to hospital by a Medical Corps of the Office of Civilian Defense."

The physician is Dr. Charles Drew. Photo: National Archives at College Park, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Charles Drew was born on June 3, 1904 in Washington, DC. Drew was a famous physician, surgeon and medical researcher who excelled in the area of blood transfusions. Dr. Drew is credited in improving methods of blood storage which aided in creating massive scale blood banks during World War II which led to saving the lives of thousands of American Soldiers. Because of Dr. Drew, The American Red Cross Blood Bank was created. Dr. Charles Drew died on April 1, 1950 at Alamance General Hospital in Burlington, North Carolina after being involved in an automobile accident while travelling through the area.

Words That Matter

Dr. Charles Drew

“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.”