Inside the viral ‘Whites only community’ where you need to prove your race before joining

A new report exposed the community and its leader

6 hours ago

A “whites only community” called Return to the Land has gone viral on TikTok following a new report that exposed its leader and its growing membership.

The presence of far-right extremism never went away, but over the last few years, the dial certainly seems to have been cranked to the maximum setting. There’s Donald Trump in the White House (again?!), the continued persecution of minority groups, and even influencers who are outright admitting to being fascists.

This week, a longread from Sky News exposed Return to the Land, its leader Eric Orwoll, and the hundreds of people who signed up to be members of the self-declared “private membership association.” The outlet’s Tom Cheshire was invited to tour the compound in rural Arkansas, and what he found was truly shocking.

What is Return to the Land?

“You want a white nation? Build a white town,” Eric Orwoll, the leader of Return to the Land, said in one video. “It can be done. We’re doing it.”

That message – which also includes gay people, people of other religions, and basically anyone who doesn’t fit into “traditional views” or “European ancestry” – underpins practically all of Return to the Land’s decisions.

While the movement initially started online, as is the case with most alt-right groups, around 40 members now reside in a sprawling 160 acres in rural Arkansas.

A quick tour of the less-seen back half of The Settlement pic.twitter.com/x7uARpgkbH

— Return To The Land (@RTTL_Official) July 16, 2025

To be accepted into the group, you must first prove your race before buying shares in the LLC that equates to acres on the land.

Their leader is Eric Orwoll

Eric Orwoll, who studied music at University, is the founder and leader of the community. Many members felt drawn to join the group after watching his videos online.

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“What we have done here is establish a place where we have control over who our neighbours are and that is just for the sake of preserving our culture. White American culture,” he told Sky News. “It’s free association, we’re not trying to keep other people down. This is a small settlement. You don’t let everyone into your home.”

He often talks about the second coming of Hitler, though not in the sense that the Nazi leader is going to rise from the grave like Jesus.

He explained: “Well, there I am, honestly, I’m addressing the sentiments of my audience. Hitler is a very controversial historical figure. I think the mainstream view is one-sided. It’s informed by World War II propaganda, but also the contrary position that Hitler did nothing wrong, that many people online say: that’s also a one-sided view.

The idea that it's wrong for Whites to care about our own people is deeply ingrained

We were told that if we have pride in our race it's because we're losers as individuals

We were told that Whites have no culture and that many are "trash"

We've been deceived

Love your people

— Aarvoll (@Aarvoll_) July 17, 2025

“I think all historical figures are complex, multi-dimensional, but when I say, ‘you’re gonna have to wait for that new Hitler to arise’, I’m not saying you’re going to have to wait for a new person to start a new Holocaust. I am saying you are going to wait for a charismatic leader who is going to advocate for your interests because that’s how a lot of people see Hitler.”

Is it even legal?

According to the report, Return to the Land did “thousands of dollars in legal research” to ensure they wouldn’t be stopped by authorities for breaking civil rights legislation. By structuring themselves as a private members club, they essentially found a “loophole” for the community.

They’re steadily growing in numbers, with plans to expand

Credit: Return to the Land

Eric Orwoll is hoping that Return to the Land inspires other white-only communities across the world, and already, there are plans to expand the community into five other areas. According to the group’s website, there’s another compound planned for Arkansas, one in the Ozarks, one in the Deep South, and two in Appalachia.

Their numbers are steadily growing as well, so it’s not looking like Return to the Land will be going anywhere anytime soon.

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Featured image credit: Sky News