On April 1, 1950, celebrated African American surgeon and pioneering blood plasma researcher Dr. Charles Drew bled to death after an auto accident. It was a tragic end to a life dedicated to discovery and the advancement of blood transfusions. A doctor on the scene reported, "All the blood in the world could not have saved Dr. Drew." Charles Drew presents Drew's life and struggle in gripping and vivid detail, including his groundbreaking work in the large-scale production of human plasma that was eventually used by the U.S. Army and the American Red Cross as the basis for blood bands.

One of the most influential men of his time, Drew also served as the first director of the Red Cross blood bank and held the chair of surgery at Howard University.