List of Famous people who died in 1978

Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe was a prominent South African political dissident and teacher, who founded the Pan Africanist Congress in opposition to the South African apartheid system.

Miguelito Valdés, also known as Mr. Babalú, was a renowned Cuban singer. His performances were characterized by a strong voice and a particular sense of cubanismo.

Paul Yu Pin was a Chinese cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Nanking from 1946 until his death, having previously served as its Apostolic Vicar, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1969.

Secondino Tranquilli, known by the pseudonym Ignazio Silone, was an Italian political leader, novelist, and short-story writer, world-famous during World War II for his powerful anti-Fascist novels. He was nominated for the Nobel prize for literature ten times.

Francesco Mimbelli was an Italian Naval officer who fought in World War II.

Gyula Ortutay was a Hungarian ethnographer and politician, who served as Minister of Religion and Education between 1947 and 1950.