2-950-215 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Dedication of new buildings at the Savannah State College, Georgia, 1974. Buildings named after notable African-Americans: Booker T. Griffith-Charles R. Drew Center for Natural Sciences, Bostic Hall, Bowen-Smith Hall, Medgar Evers Plant Operations Complex, and Melvin Bostic Park. Dr. Griffith was the first person employed full time at Savannah State with an earned doctorate degree. Surgeon and medical researcher Charles Drew was an expert on blood plasma, considered the father of the blood bank. Sylvia E. Bowen taught maths at the college, and Lula Smith was in the second coed graduating class, 1901. Civil rights activist and World War II veteran Medgar Evers was murdered by a white supremacist - after he was shot, he was initially refused entry to hospital because of his race. Bostic, also a decorated US Army veteran, was run over and killed while collecting donations at Savannah State University.