More than six decades after Little Rock’s defining civil rights battle, Arkansas finds itself at another racial crossroads, this time in the hills of the Ozarks, where an openly white supremacist group is attempting to rewrite the ideals of equality through land ownership and segregation.
In 1959, thousands of white protesters stormed the Arkansas State Capitol, enraged at the prospect of integrating Central High School just two years after the Little Rock Nine braved mobs and violence to attend the formerly all-white school. Their sacrifice, born of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, forced America to confront its deep-rooted racism, and eventually helped establish the inclusive Central High School of today, complete with a civil rights museum on campus.
But in an unsettling echo of that past, a group calling itself Return to the Land is now cultivating a whites-only settlement in the Ozarks. They’ve drawn national attention for their unapologetic commitment to racial exclusion, and worse, they’re planning to expand.
RELATED STORIES
READ ALSO: NABA CEO explains why Ubuntu economics is the key to Black prosperity
Co-founder Eric Orwoll is leading the charge, boasting about a 150-acre property in northeast Arkansas that excludes Black people, Jews, and LGBTQ individuals. He recently told KOLR-TV, a CBS affiliate in Missouri:
“Whites should have the ability to live among their own people if that’s what they want to do, and mass immigration is quickly making that nearly impossible in many Western nations… If individuals decide to live in multiracial communities, then they should be allowed to do so, but we don’t want racial diversity forced on us in every aspect of life.”
Watch a recent episode of The BreakDown podcast below and subscribe to our channel PanaGenius TV for latest episodes.
Orwoll has announced plans to replicate these exclusionary communities across all 50 states, defending the group’s segregationist policies under the guise of private land rights, an argument reminiscent of “sovereign citizen” ideology. He’s already eyeing Springfield, Missouri, as the next location for what the group calls its “flagship.”
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin responded to the group’s rise with sharp condemnation.
“Racial discrimination has no place in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. These allegations raise all sorts of legal issues, including constitutional concerns. My office is reviewing the matter,” he stated.
The AG’s response may seem like an obvious statement in 2025, but the fact it still needs to be said underscores how persistent these ideologies remain. Civil rights advocates argue this moment calls not just for condemnation, but decisive legal and cultural pushback.
Social media lit up with commentary, with many users pointing out the hypocrisy and historical irony of establishing an all-white community on stolen Indigenous land.
“These white supremacists are building a whites-only ‘Return to the Land’ town—on stolen land… Their ancestors didn’t return to it. They took it,” wrote @cwebbonline.
Others pointed out the clear resemblance to the Jim Crow era’s enforced segregation, with @queenie4rmnola describing it as “an effort to reinstate Jim Crow.”
While some users mocked the movement, others worried it signals a broader revival of racist separatism masked as community-building. From TikTok to X, here are a few reactions:
“A cult town of racists, cosplaying as pioneers.” — @cwebbonline
“They’re calling this community their ‘flagship,’ indicating they plan to replicate their efforts throughout the country.” — @queenie4rmnola
“This isn’t just about race—it’s about spectacle.” — @jensenjeans
“Don’t assume they’re just gonna live peacefully in Arkansas. They will always be hostile.” — @BigBroLGND
