1950 – Charles R. Drew Dies in Car Accident

Dr. Charles R. Drew, a medical pioneer who revolutionized blood storage and transfusion, died on May 10, 1950, in a car accident at the age of 45. Drew was the first African American to earn a Doctor of Medical Science degree from Columbia University and developed techniques that preserved blood plasma for longer periods. During World War II, he led efforts to collect and process blood for wounded soldiers, saving countless lives. Despite his brilliance, Drew resigned from the American Red Cross when it implemented a policy to segregate blood by race—a practice he vehemently opposed as unscientific and discriminatory. His death was widely mourned in the African American community, where he was hailed as a hero of both science and social justice. Drew’s legacy endures in medical schools, hospitals, and foundations named in his honor, and he remains an iconic figure in Black history and medicine.