White Supremacist speakers spoke about wanting their own ethno-state in Shelbyville, Tennessee, Illinois, US on 28 Ocotber 2017. (Photo by Shay Horse/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In October 2023, a group known as Return to the Land established its first “whites only community” in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. This initiative aims to create a white ethnostate, a concept where residency is restricted to individuals of white descent. Following their initial settlement, the group expanded its efforts with a second enclave nearby in 2025. They identify as a “private membership association,” promoting the formation of “European heritage communities” and plan to construct four additional sites, including another location in the Ozarks and two in the Appalachian region.
The co-founder of Return to the Land, Eric Orwoll, encapsulated their mission with a bold statement: “You want a white nation? Build a white town … it can be done. We’re doing it.” While the group does not explicitly label itself as white nationalists, their rhetoric frequently aligns with the ideology that advocates for the preservation of what they consider a genetically and culturally superior race.
Historical Context of White Ethnostates
The concept of white ethnostates is not new in the United States. One prominent example is the Northwest Imperative, which gained traction during the 1970s and 1980s. This plan envisioned a territory comprising parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, where only white residents would be allowed. Advocates contended that these areas were predominantly white and had ample undeveloped land, making them suitable for such communities. Key figures in this movement included noted extremists like Richard Butler and David Lane.
Today, various groups continue to pursue similar objectives. For instance, the Northwest Front, a white nationalist organization established in 2009, actively promotes variations of the Northwest Imperative. Furthermore, attempts to create white-only communities have expanded into the Northeast. In 2018, Tom Kawczynski, the town manager of Jackman, Maine, was dismissed after his pro-white views were exposed. More recently, in 2023, the People’s Initiative of New England, a splinter group from the neo-Nazi National Socialist Club-131, emerged to advocate for establishing six New England states as white-only territories.
While the aspiration to control multiple states is highly unrealistic, smaller, localized efforts, such as those by Return to the Land, represent a growing trend among white nationalist groups. In 2013, for example, neo-Nazi Craig Cobb attempted to establish a white nationalist community in Leith, North Dakota. This effort faced substantial local opposition, leading to Cobb’s legal troubles and eventual abandonment of the project. Similarly, in 2021, a plan by Christopher Pohlhaus, a former U.S. Marine and founder of the neo-Nazi group Blood Tribe, to create a whites-only community in Springfield, Maine, was thwarted after public scrutiny.
Broader Implications of White Nationalism
The attempts to develop white ethnostates reflect a broader movement towards white nationalism, which has increasingly intertwined with anti-immigrant sentiments. Such ideologies have contributed to extreme acts of violence, including the tragic events in El Paso, Texas, in August 2019, where a gunman killed 23 individuals, primarily of Hispanic descent. The shooter’s motivations were linked to the “great replacement theory,” a conspiracy that posits that policies are intentionally erasing the white race.
This theory also served as a catalyst for the mass shooting of 10 Black Americans at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in May 2022. The perpetrator chose the location due to its majority Black demographic and left behind a manifesto promoting white supremacy.
Despite the alarming rise of these ideologies, many communities across the United States have successfully resisted the establishment of white ethnostates. Residents of Leith rallied against Craig Cobb’s efforts, launching a website to inform the public about the situation. Similarly, community resistance was evident in Maine during the attempts by Pohlhaus.
In response to Return to the Land, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced in July 2025 that his office is reviewing the group’s activities to determine if any laws have been violated. “Racism has no place in a free society,” he stated, emphasizing the need for legal scrutiny while acknowledging that no violations have yet been identified.
As these movements continue to evolve, the implications for social cohesion and community dynamics remain a critical concern. Understanding the motivations and actions of groups like Return to the Land is essential in addressing the challenges that arise from such divisive ideologies.
