[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by SoEnchanting

Oh I'm got this! But, as somebody already said, Black History Month should be celebrated all year.

Anyway, here goes...

In February 1941, Dr. Charles R. Drew set up and administered the first American Red Cross Blood Bank, which produced dried plasma that could be preserved longer than the liquid version. The innovative medical research of Dr. Drew saved the lives of thousands of wounded servicemen during World War II. Later that year, Drew resigned his position of Director of the AMRC blood bank after the War Department sent out a directive stating that blood taken from White donors should not be mixed with blood taken from Black donors. He left his position there to accept the Chair of Surgery at Howard University. In 1943, Drew became the first African-American surgeon to serve as an examiner on the American Board of Surgery.

He was also a member of Omega Psi Phi.