Colored pictures of charles drew family members

History

Dr Charles Drew, an African American surgeon, broke the barriers in a racially divided America to become one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century. In 1938, Dr Drew developed a method for preserving blood plasma that allowed it to be stored for longer. His work into blood banks helped to save thousands of lives during the Second World War in America and Britain. He assisted with the ‘Blood for Britain’ programme, which collected blood to send to Britain to help injured soldiers and civilians. In 1941, Dr Drew became the first director of the American Red Cross blood bank.

In 1942, Dr Drew became the first black surgeon named on the examiner of the American Board of Surgery. Two years later, the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) awarded him the Spingarn Medal for his work with blood transfusion. As an activist for racial equality, Dr Drew launched a movement to persuade the American Medical Association to admit black members.

America’s national blood bank systems might operate very differently—or not at all—if not for African American surgeon, researcher, educator, and advocate Charles Richard Drew.

Born in 1904, Charles Drew grew up in Washington, DC. Although the city was racially segregated at that time, it hosted a vibrant African American community, and Drew was fortunate to attend an excellent public school. Drew attended Amherst College on an athletic scholarship, and later, after his eldest sister died of tuberculosis in 1920 and he was hospitalized for a college football injury, his interest turned toward medical science.

At the time, it was difficult for African Americans to pursue most medical careers. Some prominent medical schools accepted non-white students, but the opportunity was only offered to a handful of individuals. Then, after receiving their training, African American doctors faced added challenges, often because white patients would refuse care from black physicians.

Although Drew was accepted to Harvard, he attended medical school at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine in Montreal, Canada. Drew pursued his interest in transfusion medicine—the basis for his later work in blood bank research—during his internship and medical residency. Drew then joined the faculty at Howard University College of Medicine. He also completed a fellowship at New York’s Presbyterian Hospital while further distinguishing himself as the first African American to earn a doctorate of medical science from Columbia University. 

Yet what would define Charles Drew’s career—and serve as his greatest contribution to humankind—would be his development of a national blood bank. Drew was completing his doctoral thesis, “Banked Blood,” just as World War II began in Europe. In 1940, in response to Great Britain’s desperate need for blood and plasma to treat military and civilian casualties, an association of New York City’s leading hospitals, surgeons, and blood researchers asked Dr

The … posthumous painting is the latter of two portraits of Dr. Drew completed by Reyneau. It was painted from a photograph taken by Robert S. Scurlock, a prominent Afro-American photographer in Washington, DC. Mr. Scurlock remembers that the photograph was taken in Dr. Drew’s laboratory at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington, sometime in the late 1940s. 

This c. 1940 photo of Charles Drew with Laboratory Apparatus also belongs to the  Moorland-Spingarn Research Center and is available from NLM.

Charles Alston covered Dr. Drew, including his athletic prowess in a WWII propaganda poster:

Charles R. Drew House

See the historical marker at HMdb or read about Charles R. Drew House at Cultural Tourism DC.

This ca. 1947 Harris & Ewing photo shows Charles, Lenore with their family at home.

Charlene Rosella Drew, shown leaning to the left toward her sister Rhea Sylvia, would become Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis,  DC councilmember and president of Southeastern University. Charlene was seven years old when her father died in a traffic accident in North Carolina on April 1, 1950.

The biographical resume says:

Dr. Drew met an untimely death in an automobile accident near Burlington,

(1904-1950)

Who Was Charles Drew?

Charles Richard Drew was an African American physician who developed ways to process and store blood plasma in "blood banks." He directed the blood plasma programs of the United States and Great Britain in World War II, but resigned after a ruling that the blood of African Americans would be segregated. He died on April 1, 1950.

Family & Early Life

A pioneering African American medical researcher, Dr. Charles R. Drew made some groundbreaking discoveries in the storage and processing of blood for transfusions. He also managed two of the largest blood banks during World War II.

Drew grew up in Washington, D.C. as the oldest son of a carpet layer. In his youth, Drew showed great athletic talent. He won several medals for swimming in his elementary years, and later branched out to football, basketball and other sports. After graduating from Dunbar High School in 1922, Drew went to Amherst College on a sports scholarship. There, he distinguished himself on the track and football teams.

Education

Drew completed his bachelor's degree at Amherst in 1926, but didn't have enough money to pursue his dream of attending medical school. He worked as a biology instructor and a coach for Morgan College, now Morgan State University, in Baltimore for two years. In 1928, he applied to medical schools and enrolled at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

At McGill University, Drew quickly proved to be a top student. He won a prize in neuroanatomy and was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha, a medical honor society. Graduating in 1933, Drew was second in his class and earned both Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degrees. He did his internship and residency at the Royal Victoria Hospital and the Montreal General Hospital. During this time, Drew studied with Dr. John Beattie, and they examined problems and issues regarding blood transfusions.

After his father's death, Drew returned to the United States.