The war in the middle east raises immigration,the president bringing in refugees, and equality in the U.S.
But in modern times, as we see, Wakanda is a thriving, flourishing civilization with few conflicts with the outside world. So the primary function of challenge day is keeping the peace internally, with making sure the Black Panther is a fit protector now a secondary outcome. And there for it was kept a hidden for a while.
More use of earth resourses
Native Americans had already been living there for generations and the Spanish raped, murdered, and pillaged them. While also taking their land