Graphitic strips (ribbons) are segments of carbon nanotubes and therefore may posses many of the useful mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanotubes. We have prepared discrete graphitic strips by intermolecular Scholl oxidation o-oligopheylenes. Ortho-oligophenylenes were prepared by Ullman coupling of a methoxy subsitituted 2,2'-dibromobiphenyl. The methoxylated substituents serve to increase solubility and direct the Scholl oxidation. The o-oligopheylenes were separated by normal phase HPLC, and products were characterized by 1H NMR,UV-Vis, and APPI-MS. Scholl oxidation afforded graphitic strips, which were characterized by 1H NMR, X-ray crystallography, UV-vis, APPI-MS, and fluorescence. The strips show a bathochromic shift in the UV as strip length increases.