The field of medicine is a very complex field for anyone under any circumstance to take on. When the odds are seemingly against you but you decide to take them on anyway for the betterment of mankind, says something about the person's character.
Dr Charles R Drew took that chance. Through his time, dedication and schooling, which by the way, he was the first African American to receive a doctor of science degree in medicine, did wonders for all mankind with blood and blood plasma.
In 1933, Dr Drew went to Columbia University to do research on blood preservation. With blood transfusion already an up and running medical procedure, he wanted to research and learn about blood preservation and how to handle blood donations.
Dr Drew knew that whole blood could only be stored for no more than 10 days before the blood cells would begin to break down. Through his research, Dr Drew demonstrated that separating out cells and platelets from the plasma or blood fluid proved to be much easier to preserve than whole blood. Dr Drew's thesis "Banked Blood" talked about and addressed the evolution of the blood bank. Out of his work came the American Red Cross Blood Bank.
As recent as 1939 just 6 short years after his research began, Dr Charles R Drew's research, innovation and dedication, along with Dr John Scudder, the transformation that would occur in preserved blood, and the success of the blood bank was established at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
source: 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History
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