About This Stamp
A 35-cent stamp honoring Dr. Charles R. Drew was issued June 3, 1981, in Washington, D.C., his birthplace. The date coincided with the 77th anniversary of his birth.
Dr. Drew, an African American scientist, professor, administrator, and surgeon, made many valuable contributions to medical science. The most important of these was his discovery and development of methods to preserve blood plasma. The application of his research and findings provided the U.S. Armed Forces with its first blood bank during World War II operations. Before 1940, there was no efficient way to store large quantities of blood plasma for use during emergencies or in wartime, when thousands of lives depended on the availability of blood for transfusions.
Nathan Jones of Dallas, Texas, designed the stamp. It was printed in the intaglio process and issued in panes of 100. The engravers were Thomas R. Hipschen (vignette) and Gary J. Slaght (lettering & numerals).