Lilly Pulitzer store honors Woman's Club named for Delray Beach's first Black Teacher Frances J. Bright

 

On March 15, 2025, Lilly Pulitzer’s Downtown Delray Beach, Florida shop hosted a fundraiser that benefitted the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club.  Proceeds from purchases were donated to the woman’s club for their debutante program and scholarships. Sweet treats from Palermo’s Bakery were served at the shopping party.   Delray Beach native and real estate agent Lori J. Durante served as one of the volunteer co-hosts of the fundraiser that benefitted the historically Black woman’s club that raises scholarship monies for aspiring high school girls. In 2010, Durante had the honor of curating an exhibition about the history of the Lilly Pulitzer brand, the iconic prints and met the company’s namesake founder.

Although an oil heiress, the free-spirited Lilly McKim Pulitzer joined the Frontier Nurse Service and eventually eloped with Peter Pulitzer, son of the newspaper magnate. From an orange juice shop in Via Mizner, Palm Beach, Lilly Pulitzer launched her brand in 1959 with the iconic shift dress that appealed to her network of high society debutantes that included First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

1959 was a good year as it also marked the establishment of the historically African American Frances J. Bright Woman's Club (FJBWC) established in Delray Beach, Florida. Their debutante cotillion raises monies for scholarships.  The FJBWC is named in honor of Frances J. Bright, a Black educator who came to Delray Beach, Florida in year 1899 to teach at 'colored' school #4 that was established in year 1895 located on historic NW 5^th Avenue in Delray Beach and it was the first public school in Delray Beach. The first principal at Colored School #4 in year 1895 was Mr. BF James of Miami (Lemon City). Mrs. Bright was the first Black teacher in Delray Beach.  The school was a part of the Dade County Public School System at that time because Palm Beach County was not incorporated as a separate county until year 1909.  The leaders of this prestigious organization of the FJBWC are esteemed African American educators, professionals, and business owners which are the same composition type as those who established the FJBWC organization.  The mission of FJBWC debutante program is to provide mentorship and help provide etiquette training and cultural experiences for high school girls who are invited into the program based on their academics and good character status.  The debutante program also raises educational scholarship monies for young ladies to pursue career goals.   https://fjbwc.org/

 

Lori J. Durante’s family support for the Frances J. Bright Woman’s club debutante program dates to 1970 when her mother served as a board member of the club and chairperson of the debutante program.  Since 2012, in a volunteer capacity, Lori J. Durante has hosted the non-profit Taste History tour for the debutante program that highlights Florida’s multicultural history, architecture, early settlers and ethnic cuisines.  The tour is designed to be a curriculum-based live lab, out-of-classroom, and on the road experience.   https://tastehistoryculinarytours.blogspot.com/

News Coverage (to date)

Debutante Cotillion Evening of Elegance

 

Fourteen African American Aspiring High School Senior Girls

were presented to society at the

 55^th annual Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club Debutante Cotillion

held at the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida

On Sunday, April 28, 2024, the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club presented fourteen beautiful African American aspiring high school senior girls at the 55^th annual Debutante Cotillion held at the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida. The evening was magical elegance.  For the event's raffle, Macy's donated limited-edition Clinique+Kate Spade cosmetic bags filled with beauty products. 

The historic African American Frances J. Bright Woman's Club (FJBWC) was established in Delray Beach, Florida in 1959 and its debutante program was started in 1969.  The FJBWC is named in honor of Frances J. Bright, an African American educator who came to Delray Beach, Florida in year 1895 to teach at 'colored' school #4 located on historic 5^th Avenue in Delray Beach which was part of the Dade County School System at that time because Palm Beach County was not incorporated as a separate county until year 1909.  The leaders of this prestigious organization of the FJBWC are esteemed African American educators, professionals, and business owners.  The mission of FJBWC debutante program is to provide mentorship and help provide etiquette training and cultural experiences for African American high school girls who are invited into the program based on their academics and good character status.  The debutante program also raises educational scholarship monies for the young ladies to pursue career goals.   

2024 Debutantes are:

Aaliya Allen

Miana Bellony

Destinee Britt

Mercienka Camilus

Jayden Harris

Alaina Hay

A’yani Jones

Angelina Marcelus

Slanda Philistin

Beshkar Seme

Abigail Surtain

Layla Thomas

Raniya Tyson

Renisha Ylysse

 

For one of the other activities for the debutantes, Lori J. Durante also volunteered this year with organizing and leading a cultural enrichment program for the debutantes for Women’s History Month by hosting the debutantes on the non-profit Taste History Art & Culture Study Tour to West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach.

News Coverage

https://issuu.com/jespublishing/docs/dbm-nd24_issuu/102