ɪɾ ɪz nˈeɪmd ˈæftɚ fˈɔːɹmɚ ɡˈʌvɚnɚɹ ʌv dʒˈɔːɹdʒə ænd juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts sˈɛnəɾɚ ɹˈɪtʃɚd bˈiː. ɹˈʌsəl dʒˌeɪˈɑːɹ., hˌuː wʌzɐ sˌɛɡɹɪɡˈeɪʃənˌɪst.
It is named after former governor of Georgia and United States Senator Richard B. Russell Jr., who was a segregationist.