Robert Indiana kept a series of illustrated journals during the late 1950s and 1960s, in which he discusses the development of his work as well as his daily activities.

This journal page covers September 22–23, 1959. In his entry for September 22, 1959, Indiana writes that he called the gallery French and Company, and learned that Miss [Yolanda] LeWitter, whom he had been in contact with, was no longer on the staff. The woman who answered the phone let him know she was aware of his submission, and asked that she be given a few days to discuss it with [Clement] Greenberg, who served as an advisor to the gallery. 

In his journal entry for September 23, 1959, Indiana writes:

"It was an irony that on the very day I have finally arrived to send the photograph of the 44-panel composition [Stavrosis] to the Guggenheim, I should learn (from Agnes [Martin]) . . . that the Modern is going to show both Ellsworth [Kelly] and Jack [Youngerman] in its 15 Young Americans [16 Americans] this year. Agnes, whose door is usually barred these days, looked almost intoxicated with all the good news . . . Agnes herself mentioned the Whitney as her meat right now, which reminded me of course that I had not tried that minor citadel myself. Jack, who had been greatly down, physically ill, etc., made an abrupt recovery, while Ellsworth, according to her account, only got nastier about his cohort-rival—it seems one of Jack’s was also purchased."

He continues:

"Auspicious or not, I went on to mail the mural. Certainly I have remained almost leaden on the Slip, in contrast to my neighbours, both of which I can just barely count as friends now. Completely outstripped, there is almost no question of catching up . . . however, the belt moves in one direction and one only. The challenge is necessarily accepted."