Sacramento Union

Sacramento Union holds a truly extraordinary place in American journalism history. Founded in 1851, it stands as one of the oldest newspapers in California — a living witness to the Gold Rush era, the birth of the transcontinental railroad, the Civil War, and the rise of the American West.

As part of the celebrated Living Archive Series by Shumake Media Group, this landmark restoration brings back the authentic voice of the Sacramento Union — a paper so influential that the legendary Mark Twain himself once wrote for its pages.

Through cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence, every page, every editorial, and every story from the Union's remarkable 170+ year legacy has been meticulously preserved and restored — transforming fragile, aging newsprint into a permanent digital record for generations to come.

About the Author
Robert S. Shumake, publishing as Ajarn Shaman Shu, has lived two lives in one — the builder and the priest — and his books are where the two meet. He rose from a Ford factory floor to become founding president and CEO of Inheritance Capital Group, a Black Enterprise-ranked private equity firm, served as honorary consul for Botswana and Tanzania, and founded Inheritance Media Group, owner of more than 300 publications produced by an AI-run newsroom. In spirit, each tradition that initiated him gave him a name: Buddhist Ajarn in the Theravada and Vajrayana lines, Oluwo Jolaoso Osainbola in Ifá, and Shri Surya Narayana Swamikal in the Tamil Siddha line. He is the founder of Soul Tribes International Ministries and of Buddha Digital Temple and its universities — Orisha University, Buddha University, and Shiva University. He authored Detroit’s Proposal E, the 2021 ballot initiative that decriminalized entheogenic plants in Detroit, and is the author of more than 140 published books and 86+ DOI-registered academic publications. His philosophy: the Double Bottom Line — make a profit, and make a difference. Robertshumake.biz