Mr. Fortune

September 12, 2013 Today, at a ceremony, in Waterbury, CT. a former slave by the name of Fortune will be remembered and buried. After Fortune’s death in 1798, his bones were preserved for study by his owner and physician, Dr. Preserved Porter. The family then donated Fortune’s skeleton to the Mattatuck Museum where they were kept on display until the 1970s when they were removed from display for study and eventual burial. The study, involving scientists in many countries, has been completed and Fortune’s remains will finally be put to rest, 215 years after his death. A display featuring holographic images of Fortune’s skeleton and his likely image remain at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, CT. Fortune’s afterlife has been long and complicated and we celebrate the end of his journey. You can read more about Fortune at the link below. You can also visit the Mattatuck Museum website