In a letter to Paul Engle, held in the University of Iowa Special Collections, Robert Penn Warren writes on November 22, 1948:

“I might be able to get down for the Workshop meeting on Thursday, but to be absolutely sure we had better make the meeting on Friday if you can arrange that without too much difficulty.”

Later he describes the visit as a “pleasure trip” and writes “Your description of the situation at Iowa could not fail to be attractive to anyone.”

Penn Warren signs the letter Red, (his nickname after his auburn hair.)