FAMOUS MEN OF MEDICAL SCIENCE: DR. DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS & CHARLES DREW DR. DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS: His notable achievements as a Cardiac Surgeon helped to revolutionize the field of medicine and humanize its practices. CHARLES DREW: The first Black surgeon to serve as an examiner on the American Board of Surgery. DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS was an African-American cardiologist that performed the first successful open heart surgery. He also founded Provident Hospital, the first non-segregated hospital in the U.S. Dr. Williams was an extraordinary man of incredible talent and merit and his exceptional accomplishments are documented with great care in this inspiring program. Born to 'freed people of color' in 1856, he attended medical school at what is now Northwestern University in Chicago to become a practicing surgeon. His observations that American Blacks were treated as second-class citizens within the medical community, both professionally and as patients, motivated him to establish and run the first hospital for Blacks in the United States; Provident Hospital. Williams set up the first nursing school for Blacks and performed one of the first open heart surgeries in the world. His encounters with institutionalized racism gave him the courage and determination to create more hospitals and educational programs like the one he had at Provident. In 1885 he co-founded the National Medical Association for Black Doctors and openly encouraged African Americans to support hospitals that would offer first-rate care to African-Americans. In 1913, he became a charter member and only African American in the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams' notable achievements as a Cardiac Surgeon helped to revolutionize the field of medicine and humanize its practices. CHARLES DREW born 1904, was an African American physician and medical researcher who revolutionized the field of medicine with developments in blood-work. Growing up in Washington, D.C., Drew excelled in everything he approached but his life and career ambitions always faced an upward battle due to the color of his skin. His research on plasma and transfusions in the 1930's led to discoveries relating to the separation and preservation of blood and the establishment of the world famous American Red Cross. Drew was the first doctor to work for the ARC and oversaw the first blood drive, "Blood for Britain", which supplied blood plasma to the British fighting in World War II, saving thousands of allied lives. He protested against the prevalent practice of racial segregation in the donation of blood from donors of different races on the basis that it lacked scientific foundation. Charles Drew set a standard of excellence unparalleled by most of his white contemporaries. In 1943, his distinction in his profession was recognized when he became the first Black surgeon to serve as an examiner on the American Board of Surgery. Despite the prejudices of American society in the first half of the 20th century, Charles Drew persevered in his practice and was never afraid to stand up for his beliefs and racial equality. Bonus Material: Each program includes 24 minutes of Bonus material.

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