Submitted by Lori J. Durante
DELRAY BEACH, FL. – On March 15, 2025, Lilly Pulitzer’s Downtown Delray Beach shop hosted a fundraiser that benefitted the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club. Proceeds from purchases will be 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 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 eschewed debutante tradition and instead 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, an African American educator who came to Delray Beach, Florida in year 1895 to teach at ‘colored’ school #4 located on historic 5th Avenue in Delray Beach. She 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 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 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.
Lori J. Durante’s family support for the Frances J. Bright Woman’s club debutante 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.
