Nationwide — A whites-only group called Return to the Land (RTTL), which began in northern Arkansas, is considering building a new community near Springfield, Missouri. The group aims to create separate communities based on European ancestry. Civil rights groups warn that the expansion could violate housing laws.
Founded in 2023, RTTL describes itself as a private member association for white people. Its mission is to form a “decentralized movement” of people building a community and living among those with shared ancestry. The group’s 160-acre base in Arkansas was chosen for its affordability, natural resources, and predominantly white population.
Eric Orwoll, RTTL’s co-founder, told Ozarks First that a group of people is exploring the idea of launching a similar community near Springfield. He said the goal is to create a nationwide network of like-minded communities offering homeschooling, healthcare services, legal support, and recreational spaces.
“We want to ensure that White Americans who value their ancestry will have the ability to live among like-minded people in the future if they choose to do so, regardless of demographic changes,” Orwoll said, according to Fox 2 Now.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) strongly condemned the group, calling RTTL’s plans “a revival of segregation.” The ADL says whites-only housing likely violates the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights laws.
“We urge the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission, local elected officials, and law enforcement to act swiftly to ensure that Northeast Arkansas remains a welcome and inclusive community, not a refuge for intolerance and exclusion,” Lindsay Baach Friedmann, regional director of the ADL South Central, said in a statement.
Orwoll insists RTTL is legal because it operates as a private association and doesn’t sell land to the public. He said Americans have the right to join or create groups based on shared values and heritage. He hopes RTTL communities will eventually appear in all 50 states, offering spaces for people to celebrate their ancestry.
“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,” Orwoll said. “If individuals decide to live in multi-racial communities, then they should be allowed to do so, but we don’t want racial forced on us in every aspect of life.”