American Red Cross and NAACP premiere documentary on Dr. Charles R. Drew

On September 18, the American Red Cross and the NAACP will premiere a new documentary, "Iconic Excellence: The Legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew," honoring the pioneering blood banker and surgeon on the 85th anniversary of his historic appointment as the first medical director of the Red Cross Blood Program.

The short film, produced in collaboration with Drew’s family, the NAACP, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., offers an intimate look at the life and legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew. Drew, who died in a car accident in 1950 at the age of 45, was a key figure in the development of blood plasma preservation techniques that saved countless lives during World War II and laid the groundwork for modern blood banking practices.

"Dr. Drew is an unsung hero of World War II," said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. "His innovative work made it possible for many American soldiers to come home to their families."

The documentary also delves into Drew’s principles and his family’s ongoing efforts to preserve his legacy. Drew's middle daughter, Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis, shared insights into her father’s work. "My father's work in training other Black surgeons was uppermost in his mind at the time of his death," she said. "He trained a small legion of Black surgeons, who then trained another group of Black surgeons, who then trained another group... whose color wasn't the most important thing. It was: are they trained? Do they know? Do they understand? Who are they going to serve?"

Drew's commitment to inclusivity and excellence in medicine extends beyond his scientific achievements. The film highlights his stance against the U.S. military’s blood segregation policy, which was still in effect in 1944 when the NAACP awarded him the Spingarn Medal for his work in blood plasma research and blood banking.

Iconic Excellence premieres during Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September. The documentary aims to inspire community engagement in blood donation, a practice Drew championed. Working with community partners, the Red Cross has nearly doubled the number of annual blood donors who are Black or African American, an increase of more than 89% since the Sickle Cell Initiative launched in 2021. To date, more than 445,770 donors who are Black or African American have given blood to support patients living with sickle cell disease, with more than 188,000 being first-time blood donors.

"Dr. Drew understood something we continue to see every day at the Red Cross: when you meet people where they are and invite them to be part of the mission, they respond," said Chris Hrouda, president of American Red Cross Biomedical Services. "Many first-time blood donors roll up a sleeve because someone helped them understand the impact a single donation can have on a patient in need. That was Dr. Drew's approach 85 years ago, and it remains a powerful way lives are saved today."

Organizations and community groups can register to host a screening and blood drive by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/IconicExcellence. To schedule a blood donation appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org/OurBlood, use the Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

The documentary features on-camera voices from Drew’s family, the NAACP, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., and the American Red Cross, including Bebe Drew Price, Dr. Kelly Price Noble, Ernie Drew Jarvis, Derrick Johnson, Ricky Lewis, and Chris Hrouda. Journalist DeMarco Morgan narrates the film, which was written and executive produced by Tiffany Taylor and directed by Brad Zerivitz, with cover art by Melissa Koby.