In virtually all societies, the preference is for lighter skin. Ruling classes are virtually all lighter of skin tone than their subjects. In traditional society when a darker individual usurps the throne he marries his children to lighter skinned mates. In the most civilized of societies with the least race consciousness, among the upper classes the comment can be heard when offspring brings someone home to meet the folks, “Isn’t he/she a little dark?” It is not race preference but rather a bias for lighter skin within a culture. It is near universal, from Libreville to Oslo.
Athough the preference is true, the description is somewhat lacking. For example, among Indians, there is a preference for lighter skin, but there is a strong cultural bias against “white” skin. It probably has a lot to do with the racist caste system, but that’s just that.
Among Indians from the Subcontinent, and this is from anecdotal evidence alone, children seeking non-Indian partners is stigmatised, albeit, this may be an outdated view.