Francesca Thompson OSF (born April 29, 1932) is an American member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, Indiana.
[3] Due to the death of her mother later the same year, her father moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where she was raised.
[4][5] During her time as a student, Thompson chose to enter the Roman Catholic Church, overcoming the initial opposition of her father.
She obtained her degree in 1960, at which time she was assigned to teach at a school run by the congregation in the inner city of Cincinnati, Ohio.
[5] From 1982, Thompson was an associate professor of African American studies and assistant dean/director for multicultural programs at Fordham University, where she was honored with an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts in 2002.