racism has gotten worse in a sense… but specifically, in the sense that it’s now in vogue to deify blacks and demonize whites

True, but we also need to keep in mind that this is from the minds of children and thereby it requires them to have noticed and internalized such things. Which means it should be a lot more of a 1:1 scenario, instead of a reactionary "hates blacks because media demonized whites too much" like a lot of people.

It would support their claim of racism being so omnipresent that it caused such negative associations, but then why only the black doll? Racism against Latinos is just as prevalent in most areas, but they were almost unchanged in their opinions of that doll. Which then requires one to believe there is something specific about the black one, and thereby black people if you take the doll as a perfect representation.

when they see black culture and black people side-by-side with white culture and white people, they can see for themselves which is superior

I'd disagree with this, at least partially. Black culture is very popular with the youth because its built on the same short term goal seeking ideas. That's why wiggers are almost exclusively a teen or younger thing. Children would lack the greater scope thinking and understanding to see why black culture could be called inferior.

I think I agree that the dolls are probably disliked for non-racial reasons

And despite what I said, I do think racism played some role in it. Children aren't that deaf, and during the original study's era it was easy to pick up. But I also don't think its as deafeningly loud to the level they want us to believe, nor is the study "unquestionable" because it has too many glaring holes. It shows us a lot of smoke, I don't buy that this single factor is the fire.