With thanks to Kimi for bringing this to mind.
I'm white and was brought up in an inner-city, multi-cultural environment, back in the days when to say someone was "coloured" wasn't an insult (just to give you an idea of how ancient I am!). My friends were just that - not black, not white, but friends. I knew no different.
I remember my cousin, when we were about 7 or 8, telling us all that her "Black friend was coming to tea". My Auntie corrected her... "V, it's not important that she's Black, all that matters is that she's your friend and it's rude to mention her colour". I went home and that sunny evening stood at the window watching my friends play outside.
"Muuuum!"
"Yes?"
"You know A?"
"Erm... well, yes, I should do, she lives 5 doors from us, is in your class at school and is your best friend!"
"But Mum! She's BLACK!!"
My mother roared with laughter! I swear that until that day I had never noticed that A was Black. Well, of course I did in a way, I have the benefit of vision, but I never saw A as "different".
For the record, many years later another child of that Auntie adopted a Black lad, whom he brought up alongside his natural-born (white) son. The "boys" are in their 40s now and from day one have referred to each other as "My brother".
It all makes me think... AIBU or is colour prejudice a matter of nurture and not nature? Or is my experience unusual?