Charles Richard Drew was an African American surgeon and medical researcher who made significant contributions to the field of medicine, particularly in the field of blood transfusions and blood banking. He was born on June 3, 1904, in Washington, D.C., and grew up in a segregated community.

Drew graduated from Amherst College and then went on to attend McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degrees. He later completed his doctorate thesis on banked blood, which laid the foundation for the modern blood banking system.

During World War II, Drew was appointed as the director of the American Red Cross Blood Bank, where he developed techniques for the long-term preservation of blood plasma, which greatly increased the availability of blood for transfusions. However, he became a target of racial discrimination within the Red Cross, as he fought against segregating blood donations based on race.

Despite his groundbreaking work and expertise in the field, Drew faced racism and discrimination throughout his career. He eventually resigned from the American Red Cross and returned to Howard University to focus on teaching and research.

Charles Drew's work revolutionized the field of medicine and helped save countless lives through his advancements in blood transfusion and blood banking. He is remembered as a pioneer in the medical field and a trailblazer for African Americans in the field of medicine.