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Charles R. Drew Portrait. Author The original uploader was Darwinek.

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Charles Richard Drew

According to WHO, about 118.54 million blood donations are collected worldwide? 40% of these are collected in high-income countries, home to 16 % of the world鈥檚 population. In addition, about 13 300 blood centers in 169 countries report collecting a total of 106 million donations. Have you ever stopped for a moment to ask yourself who is the incredible person behind the lifesaving uses of donated blood? Well, this credit goes to one Dr. Charles Richard Drew who was one of the 20th century鈥檚 most important scientists.

1. He Invented The First Blood Bank

Blood donation. Photo by Nguy峄卬 Hi峄噋 on

Born in Washington, DC, on June 3, 1904, as a surgeon and pioneer in the preservation of life-saving blood plasma, he discovered the method for its long-term storage and organized America’s first large-scale blood bank on top of training a generation of black physicians at Howard University. Learn more about this African American medical legend below. This allowed medics to save thousands of Allied forces’ lives during the war.

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2. He Was An Exemplary Student

Beyond sports, Drew didn鈥檛 have a clear direction until a biology professor piqued his interest in medicine. Like many other fields, medicine was largely segregated, greatly limiting education and career options for African Americans. For Drew, the narrowed road would lead him to McGill University College of Medicine in Montr茅al. There, he distinguished himself, winning the annual scholarship prize in neuroanatomy; becoming elected to the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha; and staffing the McGill Medical Journal.

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3. He Was The First African American To Earn A Doctorate of Science Degree

Degree. Photo by MD Duran on

The celebrated scholar won a two-year Rockefeller fellowship in surgery for his graduate work at Columbia University in New York. He then proceeded to do postgraduate work for his Doctorate of Science. At the time of his doctoral research in 1938, he realized there was no way to separate blood components, and whole blood only had a shelf life of one week. This inspired him to write a thesis, named Banked Blood: A Study in Blood Preservation and soon proved to be vital amid the pressing war concerns. His conclusion was that blood could be preserved for two months longer through de-liquefaction or separation of liquid blood from the cells which could be able to return to its original state via reconstitution. Thus, he became the first African American to do so.

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4. He Was Known As The Father Of Blood Banks

During the start of World War II he saw a niche that he capitalized on to become famous. The need for blood and plasma for British soldiers and citizens was desperate. The Father of blood Banks oversaw the Blood for Britain program, innovating to create what we call bloodmobiles鈥搕rucks that contained refrigerators of stored blood鈥攚hich allowed for easier transportation as well as community donations.

5. His Discovery Not Only Saved Thousands Of Lives, But Innovated the Blood Banking Processes And Standardized Procedures And Storage Techniques

His pioneering research and systematic developments in the use and preservation of blood plasma during World War II not only saved thousands of lives, but innovated the nation鈥檚 blood banking process and standardized procedures for long-term blood preservation and storage techniques adapted by the American Red Cross.

Dr. Drew鈥檚 Blood for Britain program ran for five months, garnering a total collection from 15,000 donors and over 5,500 vials of blood plasma. That鈥檚 a lot of blood!

6. Dr. Drew was Assistant Director of the First American Red Cross Blood Bank in 1941

He broke barriers in a racially divided America to become one of the most important scientists of the 20th century. From Britain in 1941, he spearheaded another blood bank effort, this time for the American Red Cross. He worked on developing a blood bank to be used for U.S. military personnel. However due to racial discrimination, he encountered frustrations in his work. Being a man of his principles and a crusader for African American rights he could not take it anymore and therefore resigned from his post after only a few months.

7. His Innovation Was Recognized By Awards And Honors

Win. Photo by Danny Howe on

An authority on the preservation of human blood for transfusion, Drew’s innovative work was recognized by awards and honors including the 1942 E. S. Jones Award for Research in Medical Science from the John A. Andrew Clinic in Tuskegee, AL; an appointment to the American-Soviet Committee on Science in 1943; the 1944 Spingarn Medal from the NAACP, for his work on blood and plasma; honorary doctorates from Virginia State College (1945) and Amherst College (1947); and election to the International College of Surgeons in 1946.

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8. He Was A Champion Of African American Rights

As a human rights champion, he also campaigned against the exclusion of black physicians from local medical societies, medical specialty organizations, and the American Medical Association, though he was never given an opportunity to serve in this prestigious organization due to his black color. However his efforts were rewarded years later when African Americans increased their presence and exemplary performances in the medical field. Some of the best medical professionals known worldwide are African Americans, for example, Dr. Ben Carson who has for a long time been regarded as the best neurosurgeon in the world.

9. His Research Was Not Only Limited To Blood Transfusion

Research Laboratory. Photo by National Cancer Institute on

As an accomplished researcher, Drew鈥檚 doctoral research assessed previous blood and transfusion research, blood chemistry and fluid replacement, and evaluated variables affecting shelf-life of stored blood from types and amounts of anticoagulants (substances that prevent blood from clotting) and preservatives, to shapes of storage containers and temperature.

10. He Spent His Sunset Years Training Young African American surgeons

The Emeritus was an inspiration to many young African Americans who wanted to pursue medicine as a career. After successful work in the field of research, in October 1941, Drew returned to Howard University, where he remained for the next nine years serving as Head of the Department of Surgery and Chief of Surgery at Freedmen’s Hospital. His mission was to 鈥渢rain young African American surgeons who would meet the most rigorous standards in any surgical specialty鈥� and 鈥減lace them in strategic positions throughout the country where they could, in turn, nurture the tradition of excellence.鈥� This he believed would be his 鈥済reatest and most lasting contribution to medicine.鈥�