James Russell Wiggins

James Russell Wiggins (December 4, 1903 – November 19, 2000) was an American executive editor of The Washington Post and United States Ambassador to the United Nations. where he worked on the school newspaper, the Echo. In February 1926, at the age of 22, he borrowed $10,000 and bought the newspaper.

One of his first acts as editor was to end racial identification in news articles. In 1954, Wiggins received the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award as well as an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Colby College. He was president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1959–60. Wiggins took over the Post'''s editorial page in 1961.

He served as executive editor until President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1968. He was succeeded by Ben Bradlee, who had served as his managing editor since 1965.

UN ambassador President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Wiggins U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1968 to 1969. In 1969, Wiggins received an LL.D. from Bates College.

Later years After his tenure as ambassador, Wiggins moved to Brooklin, Maine where he became editor and publisher of The Ellsworth American'' of Ellsworth, Maine.