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Dr. Charles R. Drew (center) seated with his staff in February of 1941.
[Photo provided by U.S. National Library of Medicine]
This Black History Month, the American Red Cross would like to honor Dr. Charles R. Drew, a surgeon, educator and scientist who laid the groundwork for today’s modern blood donation program through his innovative work in blood banking. He is responsible for the introduction of bloodmobiles, improving the reach and accessibility of the Red Cross to potential donors in the community. The Red Cross blood program started in 1940, under the leadership of Dr. Drew, who became the first medical director for the Red Cross in 1941.
Dr. Drew is commonly referred to as the “father of modern blood banking,” a testament to his dedication to leaving a legacy for others. He lived by the mantra “excellence of performance will transcend artificial barriers created by man” and believed the quality of his work would ascend beyond the racially segregated society in which he lived. His work with the Red Cross helped save the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians during World War II.
Unfortunately, Dr. Drew died at the age of 45 in 1950, but his legacy lives on through his family and is celebrated at the Dr. Charles R. Drew Blood Donation Center in Washington, D.C.
“Dr. Drew died so young,” said Linda Mathes, former CEO of the Red Cross National Capital Region. “So, there are a lot of people who don’t know him, or don’t know his story. I felt strongly about honoring him and making sure people know it was a Black man, way ahead of his time, who came up with the blood processes that we’re still using today and that are still saving lives.”
The Dr. Charles R. Drew Blood Donation Center is on the ground level of the east-facing three-story vintage stone building. In addition to images of Dr. Drew, the walls of the blood donation center are decorated with photos and testimonials of diverse blood recipients from all over the U.S., further magnifying the impact of his legacy in the lives of others, while projecting the importance of representation.
“We have donors that come in every other week, which seem like family sometimes,” said Tanya Catus, Red Cross team supervisor and resident tour guide at the Dr. Charles R. Drew Blood Donation Center. “Being here in D.C. and so close to the White House, we get people from all walks of life. We’ve had some senators come through, the secretary of Veterans Affairs, news correspondents, directors from the museums, you know, just some really high-profile people.”
If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Charles R. Drew and his profound impact, check out the below video. And don’t forget to join us in honoring his legacy by scheduling your next blood donation appointment.