Freedom fighter Aspasia LeCompte and her family were held in bondage by Vincentian priests in Missouri in the early 19th century. Bishop Joseph Rosati, C.M., one of the founders of the Vincentian Mission in the United States, was one of the Vincentians who enslaved LeCompte. Through determination, solidarity and use of the courts, LeCompte persisted for 12 years to win her liberty in 1839. She went on to support the successful efforts of several family members in their own freedom suits. Through determination and deep solidarity with one another, by 1844, LeCompte and five of her family members won their freedom.

In 2021, the Office of the President commissioned a Task Force to Address the Vincentians' Relationship to Slavery. Comprised of faculty, staff, and students representing a range of DePaul stakeholders in this work, the task force is engaged in documenting the history, curating educational resources, renaming campus spaces in honor of the enslaved persons, raising public awareness and partnering in further Black equity initiatives.

On May 18, 2023, DePaul University gathered for the renaming of two campus spaces in LeCompte's honor: Room 300 in the John T. Richardson Library and the Belden-Racine residence hall. The event was the culmination of more than two years of research and work by faculty and staff on the task force to address the Vincentians' relationship with slavery.

Valerie Johnson, associate professor of political science and interim associate provost of diversity, equity and inclusion, spoke about the incredible character and will of Aspasia LeCompte.

"She actually, quite literally, embodied our mission and, in fact, better than those who promulgated the mission," Johnson says.

She noted that LeCompte began her quest for her freedom in 1827, based on Missouri law known as "once free, always free." LeCompte persisted for 12 years through appeals and multiple owners, one of whom was Bishop Rosati, before she finally won her freedom in 1839.

"She [fought] for her own freedom and the freedom of her family, and she will certainly be enshrined in history as a freedom fighter," Johnson said. Her family members became free in 1844.

The renaming of spaces is one step towards acknowledging the history. The Black Equity Initiative is a university-wide initiative dedicated to addressing historical systemic and institutional barriers adversely affecting the Black community at DePaul University. Through sustained efforts, BEI aspires to be a catalyst for positive change, fostering a university community where every member feels valued, supported, and empowered. These persistent efforts honor and uplift the legacy of Aspasia LeCompte.

Vines' accomplishments still speak for themself nearly 40 years later. She remains the schools' all-time leading scorer, men and women, and holds numerous other school records. Among them include the school career free throws made, career steals and ranks second in career rebounds.

During Vines' sophomore season, she earned seven single-game program records while also ranking 17th nationally in scoring and 15th in rebounds. The 1986-87 DePaul women's basketball team tied the school record for most wins in a season (23) and won the first conference championship in program history.

Vines concluded her career as a two-time All-American and became the second player in program history to score 1,700 points and collect over 900 rebounds. She was a two-time North Star Conference Player of the Year as well as the 1988 WNIT Most Valuable Player as DePaul won the WNIT. She played under current DePaul Hall of Fame coach, Doug Bruno, in his first season in 1988-89.

Vines was inducted into DePaul Athletics' Hall of Fame in 2005 and had her jersey retired on February 25, 2024.

Sister Helen Prejean is known around the world for her tireless work against the death penalty. Her 1993 book, Dead Man Walking, ignited a national debate on capital punishment and spawned an Academy Award winning movie, a play, and an opera. Her most recently published book is River of Fire: On Becoming an Activist, and she is currently simultaneously writing her fourth book, Beneath Our Dignity, while collaborating on a graphic adaptation of Dead Man Walking with illustrator Catherine Anyango Grünewald and writer, Rose Vines. Sister Helen lives in New Orleans, which is also home to her organization, the Ministry Against the Death Penalty.

In 2011, Sr. Helen donated her personal archives to DePaul’s Special Collections and Archives department. Included in the files are personal journals, notes from meetings, letters, speeches and other artifacts spanning 40 years of anti-death penalty work.

In 2022, she was awarded DePaul’s highest honor, the Saint Vincent de Paul Award. It is conferred on very rare occasions to persons who exemplify the spirit of the university's patron by serving God through addressing the needs of the human family.

Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton (August 28, 1774 - January 4, 1821) was the first United States-born canonized Saint in the Roman Catholic Church. She was the foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph's, the first community of religious women founded in the United States. Her establishment of Saint Joseph's Academy and Free School for girls paved the way for parochial school system in the United States later in the nineteenth century.

Born in New York City, Mother Seton came from a Protestant background, converted to Roman Catholicism, and was a co-worker with John Carroll in the formative years of the Catholic Church in the new nation of the United States. She was one of the most influential Catholic women in the early nineteenth century; her legacy and influence continues in the twenty-first century.

She was canonized by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975. Her feast day is January 4.