1978
1978 was the 107th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.
Events
Business
- February: Red Mountain Museum opened.
- September: K. L. Jones purchased the Parliament House hotel out of bankruptcy.
- The first gifts from the Dwight and Lucille Beeson Collection were received by the Birmingham Museum of Art.
- WBRC was the first station to use a microwave-transmitting live news truck for newsgathering.
- BE&K's Redrock Construction Company was shut down.
Media
Sports
- Mel Allen was awarded the Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award.
- Gene Bartow began the UAB Blazers men's basketball program.
Works
Books
- On Human Nature, by E. O. Wilson
- Baal, by Robert McCammon
Buildings
- Barrett Elementary School was rennovated.
- Rennovations to the Birmingham Zoo included remodelling the reptile house, construction of a new big cat area, and completion of the children's zoo.
Music
- Birmingham Sunlights were formed.
- Lanquidity by Sun Ra
Individuals
- November: Pete Clifford was elected to fill Don Hawkins' unexpired seat on the Birmingham City Council. Nina Miglionico assumed Hawkins' role as president.
- Michael Gross became superintendent of Homewood City Schools. Jack Farr replaced Gross as principal at Homewood High School.
- John Harbert III was appointed to the State Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
- John Amari was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives to represent Alabama House District 34.
Births
- January 14: William A. Barnes, business owner
- April 11: Josh Hancock, baseball player
- April 20: Clayne Crawford, actor
- May 19: Amy Lemley Bailey, fashionista
- August 3: Tommy Dewey, actor and screenwriter
- September 12: Reuben Studdard, singer
- September 23: Michael Gibbons, prizefighter
- November 9: Jason Standridge, baseball player
- December 11: Roy Wood, Jr, comedian
- Chloe Collins, executive director of the Sidewalk Moving Pictures Festival
- Kate Merritt Davis, artist
- Riley Holifield
- Darryl W. Perry, radio station manager
- John Powers, sculptor
Awards
- Pulizter Prize was awarded to E. O. Wilson for On Human Nature.
- The first class of Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame was inducted. Inductees were Frank Adams, Amos Gordon, Erskine Hawkins, Haywood Henry, Sammy Lowe, Fess Whatley.
- Nell Carter won the Tony Award for her perfomance in Ain't Misbehavin'
Graduations
Deaths
- February 3: Albert Boutwell, Mayor of Birmingham and lieutenant governor of Alabama
- June 20: Jess Lanier, Mayor of Bessemer
- September 11: S. Lawrence Johnson, pastor
- September 23: Lyman Bostock, Jr, baseball player
- Frederick Calder, businessman
- Don Hawkins, president Birmingham City Council
- See also List of Birmingham homicides in 1978
See also
Context
In 1978 the Copyright Act of 1976 took effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. Hollywood film director Roman Polanski fled the country after pleading guilty to charges of engaging in sex with a 13-year-old girl. Serial killers Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy were captured. The first Unabomber attack takes place at Northwestern University. Atlantic City's first legal casino opened. The comic strip Garfield debuted. Pluto's moon, Charon, was discovered. Louise Brown, the first "test tube baby," was born. Two popes died, leading to Pope John Paul II being installed. The Camp David Accords were signed between Israel and Egypt. Love Canal was declared a federal emergency. Premium cable network Showtime went on the air. Muhammad Ali became the heavyweight boxing champion for the third time. The Jonestown Massacre took place.
Notable 1978 births include Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Tia and Tamera Mowry, Justin Long, Kobe Bryant, and Clay Aiken. Deaths in 1978 included those of Hubert Humphrey, Robert Shaw, Edgar Bergen, and Norman Rockwell.
Top-grossing films were Greast, Superman, Animal House, Every Which Way But Loose, and Heaven Can Wait. The Deer Hunter swept the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor.
Hit singles included the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever", John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John's "You're the One That I Want", the Village People's "YMCA", and Andy Gibb's "Shadow Dancing". The Incredible Hulk, Dallas, 20/20, Taxi, Mork & Mind, WKRP in Cincinnati, and Diff'rent Strokes premiered on network television.
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