By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 03:49 EST, 12 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:21 EST, 12 September 2013 . Studies of the skeleton have shown that Fortune suffered from a fractured left hand, a severely sprained ankle and lower back pain (stock image) The bones of a slave known as Mr Fortune will be laid to rest today 215 years after his death. Fortune's skeleton will lie in state in the Capitol rotunda in Hartford before it is taken to the church in Waterbury where he was baptised for a service. He will be buried in a nearby cemetery with other prominent figures to the sound of bagpipes and 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic'. Steven R. Mullins, one of the organizers, said: 'It's a long overdue honor. We're not just remembering one man. His body is representing all of the slaves that came over here and worked in this country.' Fortune was owned by Dr Preserved Porter on a farm in Waterbury, Connecticut, and died of a suspected broken neck in 1798. After his death Dr Porter, a bone specialist, had his skeleton boiled in order to preserve and study it. The remains were donated to a Waterbury museum in 1933 by a descendent of Dr Porter who referred to the skeleton as 'Larry'. Since then the bones have been studied by scientists keen to learn more about Fortune and his life. So far scientists have established . that Fortune was 5ft 5in tall and died aged roughly 55. Though the . results have ruled out hanging as a cause of death, nobody knows exactly . how Fortune broke his neck. We do know that in life he suffered with a fractured left hand, a severe ankle sprain and lower back pain. Richard . Gonzalez, an assistant professor at Quinnipiac's school of medicine, . said that at the time of Fortune's death he was 'an individual who was . in considerable distress.' He was never buried in case technology . allowed more information to be extracted from his remians in the future, but now a CT . scan of the bones has been taken meaning they can be studied without the . need to keep them. When Fortune died in 1798 slavery was still common throughout the US, especially in the South, and wasn't abolished for another 66 years . Maxine Watts, past president of the NAACP, agreed that it was time for the bones to be buried. She said: 'Now we feel even though he was used that way he did prove underneath the skin we're all the same.' The Rev. Amy D. Welin of St. John's Episcopal Church in Waterbury, who will preside at the funeral, said she considers Fortune a parishioner, though one who died long ago. She said: 'I think it's been a very convoluted path to justice. I'm hoping we can use this as a learning experience and a time of reflection on how do we as human beings treat one another and how do we deal with issues of diversity now.'
Fortune died in 1798 of a suspected broken neck but wasn't hung .
Fortune's owner, a bone doctor, boiled his skeleton to preserve and study it .
Slave was 5ft 5in tall, died aged 55, and suffered from back pain .
By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 03:49 EST, 12 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:21 EST, 12 September 2013 . Studies of the skeleton have shown that Fortune suffered from a fractured left hand, a severely sprained ankle and lower back pain (stock image) The bones of a slave known as Mr Fortune will be laid to rest today 215 years after his death. Fortune's skeleton will lie in state in the Capitol rotunda in Hartford before it is taken to the church in Waterbury where he was baptised for a service. He will be buried in a nearby cemetery with other prominent figures to the sound of bagpipes and 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic'. Steven R. Mullins, one of the organizers, said: 'It's a long overdue honor. We're not just remembering one man. His body is representing all of the slaves that came over here and worked in this country.' Fortune was owned by Dr Preserved Porter on a farm in Waterbury, Connecticut, and died of a suspected broken neck in 1798. After his death Dr Porter, a bone specialist, had his skeleton boiled in order to preserve and study it. The remains were donated to a Waterbury museum in 1933 by a descendent of Dr Porter who referred to the skeleton as 'Larry'. Since then the bones have been studied by scientists keen to learn more about Fortune and his life. So far scientists have established . that Fortune was 5ft 5in tall and died aged roughly 55. Though the . results have ruled out hanging as a cause of death, nobody knows exactly . how Fortune broke his neck. We do know that in life he suffered with a fractured left hand, a severe ankle sprain and lower back pain. Richard . Gonzalez, an assistant professor at Quinnipiac's school of medicine, . said that at the time of Fortune's death he was 'an individual who was . in considerable distress.' He was never buried in case technology . allowed more information to be extracted from his remians in the future, but now a CT . scan of the bones has been taken meaning they can be studied without the . need to keep them. When Fortune died in 1798 slavery was still common throughout the US, especially in the South, and wasn't abolished for another 66 years . Maxine Watts, past president of the NAACP, agreed that it was time for the bones to be buried. She said: 'Now we feel even though he was used that way he did prove underneath the skin we're all the same.' The Rev. Amy D. Welin of St. John's Episcopal Church in Waterbury, who will preside at the funeral, said she considers Fortune a parishioner, though one who died long ago. She said: 'I think it's been a very convoluted path to justice. I'm hoping we can use this as a learning experience and a time of reflection on how do we as human beings treat one another and how do we deal with issues of diversity now.'
shown that Fortune suffered from a fractured left Waterbury, Connecticut, and died of a suspected bone specialist, had his skeleton boiled in order to preserve and study it. The remains were have established . that Fortune was 5ft 5in tall Fortune died in 1798 slavery was still common