Shirley Childress Saxton

Shirley Childress Saxton (c.1947–2017) was an African-American sign language instructor and interpreter. She performed with Sweet Honey in the Rock from 1980–2017.

Biography

Early life and education

Shirley Childress was born and reared in Washington, D.C. to deaf parents, Herbert and Thomasina Childress, making American Sign Language her first language. She had two sisters, Maxine Childress Brown and Dr. Khaula Murtadha Watts. Saxton earned a bachelor's degree in Deaf Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and did graduate work at the University of the District of Columbia.

Career

She began her practice of interpreting for the deaf at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.. She was a certified interpreter and was a member of Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. She taught introductory ASL classes and master workshops on interpreting music across the country. She joined Sweet Honey in the Rock in 1980

Marriage and children

Shirley Childress was married to Pablo Saxton. She had two sons, Reginald and Deon.

Death

Shirley Childress died on 6 March 2017 at the age of 69 of complications from West Nile virus.

References

Notes

Washington City Paper link, Shirley Childress obituary

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saxton, Shirley Childress
1947 births
2017 deaths
21st-century African-American educators
21st-century American educators
Educators of the deaf
Musicians from Washington, D.C.
University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Education alumni
University of the District of Columbia alumni
Sweet Honey in the Rock members
American Sign Language interpreters
20th-century American translators
20th-century African-American women
21st-century African-American women
20th-century African-American educators
20th-century American educators
21st-century American women educators
20th-century American women educators