Harrison to RPW 11/25/64 Searchable Text

                                       SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
                                  SOUTHERN BRANCH POST OFFICE
                                       BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

OFFICE OF THE DEAN

                                                                               November 25, 1964

Mr. Robert Penn Warren
2495 Redding Road
Fairfield, Connecticut

Dear Mr. Warren:

     The Field Foundation has granted to Southern University the sum
of $2500 to be used to finance a lecture series for students.

     As you probably know, Southern Unviersity is the Land-Grant
College for Negroes in Louisiana.  Presently, it has an enrollment of 
6,000 students, approximately 95% of whom are residents of Louisiana.
For the most part, these students are products of lower socio-
economic backgrounds as evidenced by the occupational classification
of their parents.  It is obvious, then, that these students entered
college with attitudes, sentiments, expectations, motivations, and 
values regarding higher education which have been influenced by both
their socio-economic origin and their status as first-generation 
collegians.

     In view of the changing relationship of Negroes to the American
economy and the need to raise the aspirational and motivational levels
of our students, we feel that it is important for our students to be
brought into contact with those minds and personalities who are
influencing the course of human events in international relations, science,
art, humanities, and economics.  It is toward this end that our lecture
series is being planned.

     We would be most appreciative if you would be so kind as to
participate in this lecture series.  It would mean much to our students, a
number of whom have already made your acquaintance by reading some
of your work and virtually all of whom, it can be truthfully said, have
heard of you and your achievements.  We realize that you have a busy
schedule.  Yet we are hopeful that htese Negro students in Louisiana
will be able to see and hear you.  Although it is our plan to begin the
lecture series during the second semester, if you are available, and we
certainly hope that you will be, we are prepared to schedule your 
appearance at any time that is convenient to you.

                                                                     Sincerely yours,

                                                                     [Signed]

                                                                      E. C. Harrison, Dean

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