A member of the Cherokee Nation, Galen Gritts is proud to be an elder in St. Louis. He was born and raised in the area and graduated from University of Missouri-St. Louis with a history degree.
When he was young, it was Gritts’ goal to stay put and grow old in St. Louis. Now, he speaks regularly at events around the city about Cherokee culture and the legacy of Missouri’s first people — the Osage Nation, Peoria Tribe and Otoe Missouria Tribe.