Doctor Charles Drew

February is Black History Month and a great reminder of what one man can accomplish is Charles R. Drew who - out of his work - was appointed director of the first American Red Cross Blood Bank in February 1941.

Dr Charles Drew was the Black surgeon & hematologist who pioneered discoveries about blood plasma & set up blood banks & bloodmobiles in the 1930s & 1940s.

"The blood bank being in charge of blood for use by the U.S. Army and Navy, he disagreed with the exclusion of the blood of African-Americans from plasma-supply networks.

"In 1942, Drew resigned from his posts after the armed forces ruled that the blood of African-Americans would be accepted but would have to be stored separately from that of whites.

"As the most prominent African American in the field, Drew protested against the practice of racial segregation in the donation of blood, as it lacked scientific foundation, and resigned his position with the American Red Cross, which maintained the policy until 1950."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_R._Drew