Anita Lewis, an educator based in Houston, recently traveled to Ghana and learned about the sankofa symbol. Translated as “to go back and get,” sankofa represents the need to reflect on the past to build a better future. This symbolism resonated with her.

“As an educator, I believe in employing the past — history, your experiences — to educate the present — today’s students, regardless of age — to empower the future,” Lewis told the Local.

This link among the past, present, and future has inspired Lewis throughout her educational career. Now, retired from K-12 teaching, Lewis is attempting a world record feat to continue educating the present.

On Feb. 27 and 28, Lewis and Gwendolyn Ebron, a Philadelphia-based educator, will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest history lesson with over 30 consecutive hours of teaching about African and African American history. The event will be at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cedarbrook.

A record-breaking attempt

At the statewide Texas social-studies conference in October 2024, the keynote speaker was the current record holder for longest history lesson. Lewis remembers being impressed with his accomplishment and thinking that one day she’d like to achieve something similar.

In May 2025, Lewis retired from teaching at a middle school and began post-doctoral research on African and African American history. In a sense, this research was a form of protest.

“In light of the things that have been going on at the state, local, and national levels regarding the marginalization and all but erasure of African and African American history, it dawned on me that my protest has always been through education,” Lewis said. “While they’re looking to remove our history from the walls, from the museums, from the websites, and things like that, they can’t remove it from our minds.”

It was then that Lewis remembered the Guinness World Record. She reached out to Ebron, who is part of an organization called Urban Intellectuals, which provides educational products, services, and experiences about Black history.

“I realized she’s who I wanted as my partner for this journey,” Lewis said. “I’m of the mindset it’s always more fun with a friend and it wasn’t something I wanted to do alone and have it all on my back.”

Ebron’s location, along with Philadelphia’s historical significance, led to an obvious choice for where the attempt would occur.

“What better place to do it than Philadelphia and on the 250th year?” Lewis asked. “It culminates too with [Enon] Tabernacle’s 150th year. So it’s just coming together. This is one of the more prominent Black churches in the city, celebrating 150 years, in a country that’s celebrating 250 years, acknowledging the contributions of people who have been on the planet for tens of thousands of years.”

‘A reclamation’

In order to accomplish 33 hours of teaching, Lewis and Ebron have been preparing their minds, bodies, and spirits. Immersing themselves in African and African American history from ancient civilizations to the modern era was only step one. They also took on self-care to ensure they could stay awake and continue teaching throughout the ambitious marathon.

Another element of preparation involved the official Guinness World Record guidelines for certified timekeeping, independent witnesses, and comprehensive documentation. At all times, there needs to be two timekeepers and two witnesses watching. However, witnesses cannot work more than four hours at a time because they need to be alert. Plus, there needs to be at least 10 students engaged in the lesson at all times. To ensure these guidelines are met, Lewis and Ebron are arranging for extra timekeepers, witnesses, and students.

Lewis and Ebron will use different engaging pedagogical strategies — having students see, hear, and do.

“In my 33 years of teaching, I realize that I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, and I do and I understand,” Lewis said.

Guinness does not pay anyone for world records; in fact, this attempt is costing Lewis and Ebron money. Yet, the educators are passionate about sharing this history with the world.

“This is more than a record attempt — it is a reclamation,” Ebron said in a press release. “We are teaching the history that shaped the world, honoring the brilliance, resilience, and global impact of African people across millennia.”

Lewis agrees, emphasizing that cultural understanding and appreciation is vital.

“If there’s one thing you can’t take away, you can’t take away a person’s education,” Lewis said. “When I look around in the schools and I see classrooms with lots of Black and brown students, and you’re telling them that their history doesn’t matter in America… to me, that is an error. We’re raising a generation of people who are not taught the fullness and the richness of their heritage, and that leads to dysfunction that could jeopardize the future of our very society.”

The world record attempt will be livestreamed on the Urban Intellectuals YouTube page from Feb. 27 at 8 a.m. to Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. In-person viewing will be open to the public at 2800 W. Cheltenham Ave. on Feb. 27 from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and Feb. 28 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.