Ragsdale was born on July 27 , 1927 to mortician Hartwell Ragsdale and schoolteacher Onlia Violet Ragsdale ( '' née '' Perkins ) in Tulsa , Oklahoma , and subsequently grew up in Ardmore , Oklahoma . In 1921 , Hartwell 's mortuary was located in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa , the site of the violent Tulsa race riot , which he narrowly escaped ; the business was burned down by a mob along with most other businesses in that black community . Hartwell 's oldest brother , William Ragsdale Jr. , was a taxi driver who served whites and blacks and was the first of the six brothers , who started the family legacy of funeral service by opening the nation 's first African-American funeral business still owned by the same family . Lincoln has said that he grew up hearing about it
Tulsa race riot
Tulsa race riot
Lincoln Ragsdale