In October 2023, a group named Return to the Land established its first “Whites only community” in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, followed by a second enclave in 2025. They identify as a “private membership association” that helps form “European heritage communities” and plans to create four more sites, including additional locations in the Ozarks and Appalachia. Their intention is to build a White ethnostate, legally excluding individuals based on race, religion, and sexual orientation. Co-founder Eric Orwoll affirmed their mission to create a White town, aligning with ideologies common among White nationalists, despite not formally identifying as such.
The article discusses historical and contemporary efforts to establish White ethnostates in the U.S., citing the Northwest Imperative from the 1970s and ’80s, which sought to control regions in the Pacific Northwest for White settlement. There have also been attempts in the Northeast, such as the People’s Initiative of New England, which aims to make all six New England states White-only.
While these efforts span various locations and formats, they represent a broader movement towards White nationalism, which often includes anti-immigrant sentiments that have led to violent acts. Communities have successfully resisted these developments, with public pushback in places like Leith, North Dakota. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin mentioned ongoing legal reviews of Return to the Land’s activities, emphasizing that while racism has no place in a free society, legal violations have yet to be established.
