broad was born in 1933 in the bronx, new york, the only child of lithuanian jewish immigrant parents who met in new york. his father worked as a house painter, and his mother worked as a dressmaker. his family moved to detroit, michigan when he was six years old. in detroit, his father was a union organizer, and owned five-and-dime stores. broad attended detroit public schools and graduated from detroit central high school in 1951.