American Indian Culture and Research Journal

Robert Horse has been incarcerated since the age of sixteen. Now thirty-one, he is currently at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls. Early in his incarceration, Robert became aware of the traditional teachings of his ancestors. He has utilized this knowledge to protect himself against harassment and retaliation from prison officials for his stance on prison violations and the religious violations that occur within the prison walls. This paper explores how Robert has been able to use religious freedom laws to plan and implement spiritual conference through inmate-run nonprofits.