The Austin Citizen: Austin local news · austincitizen.news · Living Archive
About this ebook
Austin Citizen (austincitizen.news) is a digital local newspaper for Austin, part of Robert Shumake's Living Archive Series that restores historic American newspaper brands for readers, students, and genealogists while publishing local coverage online. Visit https://austincitizen.news for ongoing local coverage.
The Austin Citizen: A Living Archive of Austin, Texas is an illuminating journey through the history of the capital of Texas, from frontier settlement to thriving modern city. Part of the acclaimed Living Archive Series published by Robert Shumake and Shumake Media Group, this volume preserves the documented story of Austin, Texas, restoring it for a new generation of readers, students, genealogists, and history lovers.
Tracing the city's history from its founding in 1839 on the banks of the Colorado River, the Austin Citizen volume chronicles Austin's growth into the seat of Texas government and a center of education, culture, and commerce. Inside, you'll explore the building of the magnificent Texas State Capitol, the rise of the University of Texas into a great institution of learning and research, and the city's emergence as the political and intellectual heart of the state.
This book documents the people, institutions, and milestones that shaped the capital across the generations, while confronting its more difficult chapters with honesty and care — including the landmark struggle for justice in Sweatt v. Painter, which helped open the doors of higher education, and the 1966 University of Texas Tower tragedy. Readers will encounter a city defined by government, learning, and a spirit of independence long before it became a national destination.
The volume also features the city's weather and climate history, its business and cultural institutions, and a rich obituary section invaluable for Austin, Texas genealogy and family history research. Researched and restored using advanced artificial intelligence and drawing on resources such as the Library of Congress, this historic newspaper archive returns the heritage of Austin, Texas to the public it serves. An essential addition to any collection of Texas history, capital history, and American history.
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About the author
Robert Shumake is an entrepreneur, media proprietor, philanthropist, and bestselling author based in Detroit, Michigan.
Robert Shumake is an entrepreneur, media proprietor, philanthropist, and bestselling author based in Detroit, Michigan. As founder and CEO of Shumake Media Group and founder of Inheritance Capital Group, Robert Shumake has built a career at the intersection of media, finance, education, and artificial intelligence.
Born and raised in Detroit, Robert Shumake overcame early hardship to become a formidable force in finance and investment. Through Inheritance Capital Group, a diversified investment and capital management firm, he built a portfolio spanning real estate, private equity, and emerging technology. His contrarian approach — identifying value in markets and communities that mainstream investors overlooked — became the foundation of his investment philosophy and his transition into media.
Shumake Media Group applies artificial intelligence to a network of historic American newspapers, transforming dormant archives of cultural and historical value into educational content distributed across a global media platform. The company reflects Robert Shumake's core insight: that legacy media, paired with the right technology, is an undervalued asset with extraordinary potential.
Beyond business, Robert Shumake is a dedicated philanthropist. Through the Shumake Family and Friends Foundation, he has supported thousands of student-athletes with scholarships, founded the Shumake Relays track and field competition, and created the Shumake HBCU Cross Country Program to invest in student-athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. His international humanitarian work includes funding water wells in Africa and establishing the Legacy Academy in Ethiopia, a school serving vulnerable children.
Robert Shumake is also recognized for his work in criminal justice reform, where he helped organize a national coalition of faith and civic leaders advocating for clemency and systemic change. As an advocate for mental health and healing under the name Shaman Shu, he supports research into psychedelic-assisted therapy and equitable access to emerging treatments. His diplomatic service includes appointments as Honorary Consul to Botswana and Tanzania.
He is the bestselling author of Climbing Your Inner Mountain, a framework for personal and professional transformation drawn from his own journey, along with a growing catalog of published eBooks. Used in leadership programs, educational institutions, and correctional facilities, the book reflects his message of resilience, accountability, and redemption.
From finance and media to philanthropy and reform, Robert Shumake continues to share strategies for growth, transformation, and purpose-driven impact with readers worldwide.
