45 Photos of What the World Looked Like In 1978

Carly Tennes Published 09/26/2024 in wow

Often dubbed the best year in music — and the best year in modern history — 1978 was a cultural moment in and of itself. Partygoers boogie-ing down on Studio 54's sweat-soaked dance floor. Skateboarders honing their vert skills at California's skate parks. Film fans lining up to catch a glimpse at the soon-to-be sci-fi classic, Star Wars. 1978 was truly a year to behold, and fortunately for us, it was all captured on film.

From Queen hitting the stage to a pre-Alien Sigourney Weaver enjoying a hot dog, here are 45 photos of what the world looked like in 1978.

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1.
Harvey Milk rides on the back of a convertible while partaking in San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Parade
2.
“Michael Jackson in 1978.”
3.
“Then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein at the opening of Pier 39 in San Francisco (1978).”
4.
New Englanders survey the damage after a Nor’easter dubbed the “Blizzard of ’78.”
5.
“Home sweet home (1978).”
6.
“A beach in Iran, 1978.”
7.
“Nothing more cool for 8-year-old me in 1978.”
8.
“My dad at 22 in 1978.”
9.
“My mother in Monrovia, Liberia 1978 !”
10.
“This amazing photo was from a 16 y/o girl who snuck her camera into a Queen concert in 1978.”
11.
“Hermosa Beach .... summer of 1978.”
12.
“My parents wedding in 1978.”
13.
“My parents wedding in 1978.”
14.
“Debbie Harry, 1978.”
15.
“Dance teacher Patsy Swayze, center, with her daughter-in-law Lisa Niemi and son Patrick Swayze, 1978.”
16.
“My father training as a priest in his mid twenties - around 1978.”
17.
“Kate Bush, 1978.”
18.
“Woman in her New York apartment, 1978.”
19.
“1978 heading to the concert.”
20.
“Vincent Price, Carrie Fisher, Ringo Starr and John Ritter, 1978.”
21.
“One of my favorite photos of my mom, circa approximately 1978.”
22.
“My grandfather (sometime around 1978).”
23.
“American WWI veterans at a reunion, 1978.”
24.
“A female Afghan communist revolutionary during the Saur Revolution, 1978.”
25.
“Sigourney Weaver, 1978.”
26.
“During ‘The Troubles’ in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1978.”
27.
“Microsoft staff photo from December 7, 1978.”
28.
“Big screen TV and VCR, 1978(GE Widescreen 1000 - General Electric Performance Television).”
29.
“Brattleboro, Vermont 1978.”
30.
“Apollo Astronaut Reunion. August 22, 1978.”
31.
“‘Human rights must triumph’, Liberia 1978.”
32.
“Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen photographed by Steve Emberton, 1978.”
33.
“The corner of Fremont & Main--Las Vegas, Nevada, 1978.”
34.
“Iranian student on the streets of Tehran – during the Iranian Revolution, which overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty, bringing in the Islamic Republic, c. January 1978 - February 1979.”
35.
“Jimmy Carter stands between Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin during the 1978 Camp David Conference, at which Egypt and Israel agreed to end thirty years of hot and cold war between the two nations.”
36.
“People lining up to see Star Wars at a theatre in Japan during its release. 1978.”
37.
“Skateboarding park/bowl in Carson, California. 23 March 1978.”
38.
“People wait in line outside of Studio 54, Manhattan, NYC, 1978.”
39.
“Vietnamese refugees land at Montreal's Dorval International Airport. Nov 26, 1978.”
40.
“1978 World Cup: cartoon mascots Lilly and Billy before the final between Argentina and the Netherlands.”
41.
“Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, dances with a Samba dancer at a party at the Town Hall in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil 1978).”
42.
“Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford visiting Eric Idle in his home in 1978.”
43.
“Pope John Paul I being carried in the Papal Chair. He was elected on 26 August 1978, and died 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal history, resulting in the most recent year with three popes and the first to occur since 1605 (Vatican City 1978).”
44.
“Olivia Newton John and John Travolta at the Grease premiere party, 1978.”
45.
“PSA Flight 182 goes down in flames over San Diego, September 25th 1978.”

1.
Harvey Milk rides on the back of a convertible while partaking in San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Parade
2.
“Michael Jackson in 1978.”
3.
“Then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein at the opening of Pier 39 in San Francisco (1978).”
4.
New Englanders survey the damage after a Nor’easter dubbed the “Blizzard of ’78.”
5.
“Home sweet home (1978).”
6.
“A beach in Iran, 1978.”
7.
“Nothing more cool for 8-year-old me in 1978.”
8.
“My dad at 22 in 1978.”
9.
“My mother in Monrovia, Liberia 1978 !”
10.
“This amazing photo was from a 16 y/o girl who snuck her camera into a Queen concert in 1978.”
11.
“Hermosa Beach .... summer of 1978.”
12.
“My parents wedding in 1978.”
13.
“My parents wedding in 1978.”
14.
“Debbie Harry, 1978.”
15.
“Dance teacher Patsy Swayze, center, with her daughter-in-law Lisa Niemi and son Patrick Swayze, 1978.”
16.
“My father training as a priest in his mid twenties - around 1978.”
17.
“Kate Bush, 1978.”
18.
“Woman in her New York apartment, 1978.”
19.
“1978 heading to the concert.”
20.
“Vincent Price, Carrie Fisher, Ringo Starr and John Ritter, 1978.”
21.
“One of my favorite photos of my mom, circa approximately 1978.”
22.
“My grandfather (sometime around 1978).”
23.
“American WWI veterans at a reunion, 1978.”
24.
“A female Afghan communist revolutionary during the Saur Revolution, 1978.”
25.
“Sigourney Weaver, 1978.”
26.
“During ‘The Troubles’ in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1978.”
27.
“Microsoft staff photo from December 7, 1978.”
28.
“Big screen TV and VCR, 1978(GE Widescreen 1000 - General Electric Performance Television).”
29.
“Brattleboro, Vermont 1978.”
30.
“Apollo Astronaut Reunion. August 22, 1978.”
31.
“‘Human rights must triumph’, Liberia 1978.”
32.
“Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen photographed by Steve Emberton, 1978.”
33.
“The corner of Fremont & Main--Las Vegas, Nevada, 1978.”
34.
“Iranian student on the streets of Tehran – during the Iranian Revolution, which overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty, bringing in the Islamic Republic, c. January 1978 - February 1979.”
35.
“Jimmy Carter stands between Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin during the 1978 Camp David Conference, at which Egypt and Israel agreed to end thirty years of hot and cold war between the two nations.”
36.
“People lining up to see Star Wars at a theatre in Japan during its release. 1978.”
37.
“Skateboarding park/bowl in Carson, California. 23 March 1978.”
38.
“People wait in line outside of Studio 54, Manhattan, NYC, 1978.”
39.
“Vietnamese refugees land at Montreal's Dorval International Airport. Nov 26, 1978.”
40.
“1978 World Cup: cartoon mascots Lilly and Billy before the final between Argentina and the Netherlands.”
41.
“Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, dances with a Samba dancer at a party at the Town Hall in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil 1978).”
42.
“Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford visiting Eric Idle in his home in 1978.”
43.
“Pope John Paul I being carried in the Papal Chair. He was elected on 26 August 1978, and died 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal history, resulting in the most recent year with three popes and the first to occur since 1605 (Vatican City 1978).”
44.
“Olivia Newton John and John Travolta at the Grease premiere party, 1978.”
45.
“PSA Flight 182 goes down in flames over San Diego, September 25th 1978.”