Throughout human history, the species has been plagued with inequality and division within the very core of its society, from racism and intolerance to religious and political divides. Some argue these divisions are an aspect of human nature, the independent nature of each and every human being will indeed create differing opinions - but major divides such as discrimination based on race and other genetic traits was a barrier to human advancement and progress. For the species to spread out into the stars, something had to be done to prevent these primitive discriminations from creating impassable divides within Terran culture and society.
The Terran Genetic and Racial Unity Project
Almost at the dawn of the 3rd millenia, the young Unified Terran Nations, only in its infancy as a major extra-solar power, was split by divides much like the great human civilisations that came before. Something had to be done, and that was the TGRUP, often refered to as 'GRUP' (pronounced "group") or Terran Genetic and Racial Unity Project. It is widely believed by Federal scholars that the human species would not have achieved its greatest power during the height of the UTN leading up to the 4th Millenia, if the project was unsuccessful.
In the early 2900's, human childbirth was already highly controlled and protected. Babies and infants were birthed in specialised equipment to ensure maximum survival rates and incubation, in addition to genetic enhancement at conception and during the development of the fetus to eradicate disease and birth defects. Moving into the 3rd Millenia, almost all hereditary conditions and birth defects not considered benefical to human progress were eliminated.
Conditions such as High functioning Autism were modified and their genetic alterations implemented as enhancements to the general population. By the dawn of the 3rd millenia, normal human beings were smarter, faster and stronger than the most gifted of the past generations. But divides in society based on racial aspects were still present.
Terran Scientists of all races, those with darker skin and those with lighter, came together to create a project that would see the eradication of major genetic racial divergence within the population without major implications for free will or expression - as these traits are part of the human charm.
There are no 'White' Terrans. There are no 'Black' Terrans. There are only Terrans.
The project lasted over two centuries. It was met with some opposition by radical groups from both former skin-colour divisions, but was largely a success. During the modification programme, genetic information from dark-skinned and light-skinned humans were analyised and the best traits from both were combined into a new genetically neutral race of Terrans. The resultant transition effectively removed the two major skin-colour and genetic differences that came with it.
The project wasn't entirely artifical. Inter-racial conception was very much encouraged to allow for human natural selection to mix both skin colour types, but eventually, combined with the genetic enhancement - only Native Terrans were born.
The Native terran's skin colour is a darker grey colour, almost with a metalic tint to it. Enhanced to be able to resist dangerous solar radiation, be tougher against injury and even convert surface moisture into usable di-hydrogen monoxide for the body's natural sustenance.
The Scientists were absolute in their eradication of both former racial divergents. By the height of the Federation in the middle of the 3rd Millenia, humanity enjoyed unity like never before seen. Racism had all but been eradicated from society. And while prejudices still existed, such as those based on your planet of birth, those could be easily dealt with by the legal system.
The underlying, fundamental prejudice of race was removed.