In 1940, Charles R. Drew, MD, an African American surgeon and Howard University researcher, began an early blood processing program for English war victims, called Plasma for Britain. Drew then led the first American Red Cross Blood Bank and created mobile blood donation stations that are now known as bloodmobiles.

He returned to Howard University and in October became chair of the Department of Surgery and Chief of Surgery at Freedmen’s Hospital. He also became the first African American to be appointed an examiner for the American Board of Surgery.