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Shirley Childress Saxton

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Birth name
  
Shirley Childress

Role
  
Sign Language Interpreter

Name
  
Shirley Saxton


Years active
  
1980–present

Origin
  
Washington, D.C.

Children
  
Reginald, Deon

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Associated acts
  
Sweet Honey in the Rock

Parents
  
Thomasina Childress, Herbert

Siblings
  
Dr. Khaula Murtadha Watts, Maxine Childress Brown

Albums
  
Selections: 1976‑1988, Still on the Journey, Twenty‑Five, A Tribute ‑ Live! Jazz at Lincoln, Experience101

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.

Contents

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 is 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. [1]

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

Shirley Childress Saxton Wikipedia