1904-1950

African-American physician and surgeon who made major contributions to the preservation of blood for transfusion in "blood banks." Drew was the first black surgical resident at the Presbyterian Hospital of New York City. During World War II, he organized blood-banking programs for the United States and Great Britain. Drew fought against policies that allowed blood banks to exclude or segregate blood contributed by blacks. The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles was established in the 1960s.