Shirley Childress Saxton (c.1947–2017)[1] was an African-American sign language instructor and interpreter.
[2] 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.
She taught introductory ASL classes and master workshops on interpreting music across the country.
[3] Shirley Childress died on 6 March 2017 at the age of 69 of complications from West Nile virus.