Harvey Broome was born on July 15, 1902 in Knoxville, Tennessee and is a University of Tennessee graduate. He earned a law degree from Harvard University and became a clerk before he entered into private practice. Several years later, Broome left the practice to return to being a clerk so he could spend more time outside. He was an active member of The Wilderness Society, and his work helped in getting the National Wilderness Preservation System created. Broome became the director of the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association in the mid-1930s. He served as president of the East Tennessee Historical Society for several years and helped establish the Save-Our-Smokies campaign. Broome married Anne W. Pursel (1904-1983) in 1937. He died of a heart attack on March 8, 1968 in his home.