U S West has negotiated financial settlements with six of seven black businessmen who filed a lawsuit claiming the communications giant discriminated against them. Terms weren't released.
     The June 1996 lawsuit filed in Denver federal court accused the Englewood-based Baby Bell of a ``pattern and practice'' of denying vendor contracts to black-owned businesses.
     ``We have asserted all along that our company is open to bringing in diverse vendors,'' U S West spokesman David Beiie said Friday. ``The whole issue here was about trying to bring more African-American firms into the company, and we are working with a number of firms to do just that.''