My name is Michael T. Hayes, and I am a direct descendant of Obie Mann. He was my great uncle. My inspiration to write " The Obie Mann Story and the Fight to Save Black Wall Street" came from the desire to know more about my Great Uncle Obie Mann. Obie Mann was born December 23, 1898, in Grayson, Texas, his parents were Pleasant and Octavia Porter-Mann (My mom's name was Octavia) and Obie passed away in 1944. My mom didn't talk much about Obie Mann, I believe reason my mother never talked about Obie and the Tulsa massacre was because of the painful memories and devastation that occurred there. I came across Obie Mann when I read the book " The Burning”. Then I started researching and doing my due diligence and discovered that Obie and his brother Mckinley owned the largest Grocery Store in Greenwood and other business in Greenwood. He was a decorated World War I hero, and he played a major role in the fight to protect Greenwood in 1921, better known as Black Wall Street. 

I am a native Washingtonian, and the founder and President of Michael Hayes and Associates Financial Services. I’ve been in the industry of financial services for over 35 years, as a financial consultant, I am an Army Veteran, and both of my children are military veterans. We are a family dedicated to service and equality. This is a story about survival and resiliency. This story not only needs to be on the pages of a book, but it also needs to be a major motion Picture.