What happened in November 1978?
The top front-page story of each day in November 1978, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Nov 1📺 Television Milestone – A groundbreaking television series debuts, shifting cultural narratives and viewer engagement.
- Nov 2🔭 Comet Halley's Return – Comet Halley was officially observed returning to the inner solar system, generating global interest.
- Nov 3🚲 Bicycle Safety Day – World Bicycle Day was observed, promoting bicycle safety and environmental benefits of cycling.
- Nov 4🗳️ First Direct Election – The first direct elections for the European Parliament were held in the member states of the European Community.
- Nov 5🎬 First Broadcast of 'Futurama' – The animated TV show 'Futurama' premiered, becoming a cultural landmark in animated television.
- Nov 6🕊️ Polish Pope Elected – Pope John Paul II becomes the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, marking a significant shift in the Vatican's global influence.
- Nov 7🌍 Smallpox Eradication Savings – $2 billion yearly savings expected from smallpox eradication, reducing disease-related costs and immunization expenses.
- Nov 8🛰️ Satellite Photograph Released – NOAA released a satellite photograph showing weather patterns from the previous day, highlighting significant meteorological data.
- Nov 9🚗 G.M. Diesel Engine – General Motors announces a new mass-production diesel engine, marking a significant innovation in automotive technology since the Model T.
- Nov 10🏨 Hotel Chain in China – China signs agreement with Intercontinental Hotels to build a chain of hotels in major cities including Peking and Shanghai.
- Nov 11🚄 Japanese Train Record – An experimental Japanese train broke its own world speed record, reaching 215 miles per hour, according to the Japanese National Railways.
- Nov 12🌍 China's Dietary Shift – China's changing diet is influencing global food markets, highlighting the interconnectedness of food consumption worldwide.
- Nov 13🌍 Egypt-Israel Peace Talks – U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan reached a tentative agreement on a new formula to advance peace treaty negotiations.
- Nov 14🔬 X-Ray on Universe Launched – An American spacecraft carrying the largest X-ray telescope ever built was launched to study pulsars, quasars, and black holes.
- Nov 15🏛️ Einstein Memorial Commissioned – A Long Island sculptor's memorial to Albert Einstein has been commissioned by the National Academy of Science for display in Washington.
- Nov 16✈️ Jet Crash in Sri Lanka – A chartered DC-8 jetliner crashed in Colombo, Sri Lanka, killing 189 of the 259 Indonesian pilgrims aboard.
- Nov 17🚀 Soviet Astronauts Adjust – Two Soviet astronauts who completed a record 140-day space flight have readjusted quickly to Earth's gravity with no significant disabilities.
- Nov 18🛠️ Greenland Home Rule – Danish Parliament grants home rule to Greenland, marking a significant step in the self-governance of the world's largest island.
- Nov 19🌍 Carter Invites University Presidents – President Carter invites 50 university presidents to discuss the Hubert H. Humphrey North-South Scholarship program for students from developing nations.
- Nov 20🌍 World Population Growth Slows – The U.S. Census Bureau reports a perceptible decline in the global population growth rate over the last decade.
- Nov 21💰 West Germany Funds Euro – West Germany agreed to finance a $35 billion European credit fund to support a new European monetary system starting Jan. 1.
- Nov 22🏞️ Castro Frees Political Prisoners – Cuban President Fidel Castro announced plans to release 3,000 political prisoners, about 80% of those remaining in custody.
- Nov 23🕊️ Castro Frees Political Prisoners – Cuban President Fidel Castro announced the release of 3,000 political prisoners, contingent on U.S. acceptance of those wishing to leave.
- Nov 24📰 Bodies of Cultists Arrive – 121 bodies of cult followers, including leader Jim Jones, were returned to the U.S. after a mass suicide in Guyana.
- Nov 25🌊 Flood Barriers in Leningrad – Tens of thousands mobilized in Leningrad to erect flood barriers around monuments after high tides and gales threatened national treasures.
- Nov 26🌍 Jonestown Tragedy – Around 900 members of the People's Temple died in a mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, shocking the world and raising questions about cults.
- Nov 27📰 Pope Appeals for Freedom – Pope John Paul II issued a heartfelt appeal for religious freedom to over 60,000 attendees in St. Peter's Square.
- Nov 28🔬 Smallpox Virus Debate – With smallpox eradicated, medical science faces a dilemma regarding the fate of the last remaining stocks of the virus.
- Nov 29🏰 New Disneyland Planned – Walt Disney Productions has reached a tentative agreement to build 'Tokyo Disneyland,' set to be twice the size of its California counterpart.
- Nov 30🌊 Venice Flooded Again – Winter storms and high tides forced residents of Venice to wade through St. Mark's Square for the third consecutive day.
Happy Birthday! 1978 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1978 in real headlines. See the 1978 book →
Born in November? Pick the day
Every birthday in November has its own On This Day in Headlines book: