▁a ▁working ▁farm , ▁including ▁a ▁da iry , ▁was ▁developed ▁and ▁maintained ▁for ▁the ▁church ▁and ▁the ▁association , ▁under ▁the ▁ste ward ship ▁of ▁Mar ion ▁O . ▁Smith , ▁a ▁con greg ant ▁of ▁Mich aux ' ▁in ▁Washington ▁who ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁farm ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁remained ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁farm ▁well ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century . ▁Mr . ▁Smith ' s ▁descend ants ▁still ▁work ▁the ▁farm ▁to ▁this ▁day . ▁ ▁An ▁Historic ▁Mark er ▁entitled ▁" A ▁Fam ous ▁African - American ▁Dream " ▁was ▁placed ▁along ▁the ▁Col onial ▁National ▁Historic ▁Park way ▁near ▁Jam est own ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁comm emor ating ▁E lder ▁Mich aux ▁and ▁his ▁National ▁Memorial . ▁ ▁Real ▁estate ▁development ▁In ▁about ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁Mich aux ▁began ▁developing ▁plans ▁for ▁an ▁urban ▁housing ▁development ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁target ed ▁to ▁the ▁middle ▁class ▁African - American ▁market . ▁He ▁purchased ▁property ▁and ▁obtained ▁a ▁$ 3 . 5   mill ion ▁loan ▁from ▁the ▁Re const ruction ▁Fin ance ▁Corporation — at ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁largest ▁loan ▁ever ▁received ▁by ▁an ▁American ▁of ▁African ▁descent . ▁The ▁project , ▁called ▁May f air ▁Mans ions , ▁was ▁a ▁ 5 9 4 - unit ▁development ▁designed ▁by ▁prominent ▁African - American ▁Arch itect ▁Albert ▁I . ▁Cass ell ▁and ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁May