University of Nottingham Plans to Showcase Einstein’s Black Board

The University of Nottingham is exploring options to prominently display a unique blackboard associated with the renowned physicist Albert Einstein. This blackboard, believed to be the only one in the world signed by Einstein, has remained largely unnoticed in a staff meeting room for decades. It was utilized by Einstein during a guest lecture at the university on June 6, 1930, and is one of only three blackboards linked to him in educational institutions worldwide.

Dr Emma Chapman, outreach coordinator for physics and astronomy at the university, has made it her mission to raise awareness about this extraordinary artefact. “I don’t think people have quite understood how rare the blackboard is until very recently,” she remarked. “It’s essentially priceless.” Dr Chapman aims to find ways for the public to appreciate this historical item while ensuring it remains within the university community rather than being moved to a museum.

Einstein’s Historic Visit

Einstein’s visit to Nottingham was facilitated by Prof Henry Brose, who headed the physics department from 1927 to 1936. Brose had developed a friendship with Einstein, having translated several physics texts from German to English and actively promoted his theories in the UK. After much persuasion, Einstein accepted an invitation to lecture at Nottingham, coinciding with a guest lecture at Oxford University. He arrived in Nottingham, as noted in a letter, “completely alone,” after a detour to Woolsthorpe in Lincolnshire to visit the childhood home of Sir Isaac Newton.

During his lecture, delivered in German, Einstein made notes and shared theories on the blackboard. Prof Brose translated these into English for the audience. A report from a 1930 edition of the Journal of the Royal Society of Arts described Einstein’s demeanor as possessing a “curious childlike, timid expression,” suggesting a greatness that did not rely on a commanding presence.

Beyond the blackboard, Einstein left behind a 1713 first edition of Newton’s seminal work, Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, which he signed for Prof Granger, the university’s vice-principal. Interestingly, the chalk Einstein used to write on the blackboard initially went missing, stolen by an enthusiastic student. The chalk was later returned to the university on the 50th anniversary of Einstein’s lecture, with one half kept by the student and the other given to a journalist.

Plans for Preservation and Display

The university is currently assessing the best way to showcase the blackboard more prominently. Options under consideration include placing it in the foyer of the physics building or in a classroom where students can engage with it while working on their own equations. Despite being housed behind glass, the chalk marks on the blackboard have faded over time.

Dr Chapman emphasized the importance of ensuring the blackboard’s preservation before any relocation occurs. “We certainly don’t want to move it until someone has looked at it and said, ‘yeah that’s good’,” she stated. The university plans to consult an expert to evaluate the blackboard’s condition and determine the safest way to detach it from the wall.

“If we could put it in a Perspex box to guarantee it for the next century, that would be absolutely fabulous,” Dr Chapman added. The blackboard has been part of the university’s history for 95 years, and the goal is to preserve it for future generations. The university also holds a collection of newspaper clippings about Einstein’s visit and handwritten letters, further enriching its historical significance.