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 life on Coenties Slip.

At the top of Indiana's journal page for November 28, 1961, is a sketch of a detail of The Great Reap (referred to as The American Reaping Company), with a note that he added blue rivet dots in an effort to "focus proper emphasis on upper monogram."

The bottom half of the page contains a sketch of the central circle from A Divorced Man Has Never Been the President (referred to as The President) with the note "add US" (to the five smaller circles between the points of the star). Indiana also records being visited by gallerist Rolf Nelson and others.