Dorcas Drake
Deceased Person
1916 – 1993
Who was Dorcas Drake?
Dorcas Broward Drake was an American judge, justice of the peace, and philanthropist.
The granddaughter of former Florida Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, Drake was best known for starting the Dorcas Drake Christmas Party and Toy Drive in Jacksonville, Florida. Held every consecutive Christmas from 1957 until 1993. After 1993 the party was continued until 2003 by Jonetta Drake and family. Dorcas Drake dressed in Santa Claus costume and presented gifts to needy children. At one point, it was estimated that Dorcas Drake's toys went to 50,000 children in Jacksonville every holiday season. Upon her death, the toy drive and Christmas party went on posthumously, but without Drake's direction, the toy drive and party have been replaced by the Children's Christmas Party of Jacksonville, which was first held in 1999.
In 1989, she was honored by The Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women for Women's History Month. She died at the age of 77 of cancer.
We need you!
Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web!
Citation
Use the citation below to add to a bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Dorcas Drake." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 3 May 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/dorcas_drake>.
Discuss this Dorcas Drake biography with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In