Drew was born in 1904 into an African-American middle-class family in Washington, D.C. His father, Richard, was a carpet layer and … See more

Drew's work led to his appointment as director of the first American Red Cross Blood Bank in February 1941. He also invented what would be later known as bloodmobiles, mobile donation stations that could collect the blood and refrigerate it; this allowed for … See more

In 1939, Drew married Minnie Lenore Robbins, a professor of home economics at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, whom he had met earlier during that year. They had three … See more

• In 1976, the National Park Service designated the Charles Richard Drew House in Arlington County, Virginia, as a National Historic … See more

In late 1940, before the U.S. entered World War II and just after earning his doctorate, Drew was recruited by John Scudder to help set up and administer an early prototype program for blood storage and preservation. Here Drew was able to apply his thesis to … See more

In 1941, Drew's distinction in his profession was recognized when he became the first African-American surgeon selected to serve as an … See more

Beginning in 1939, Drew traveled to Tuskegee, Alabama, to attend the annual free clinic at the John A. Andrew Memorial Hospital. For the 1950 Tuskegee clinic, Drew drove along with three other black physicians. Drew was driving around 8 a.m. on April 1. Still … See more