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