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
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