Before the march, the Women’s March logo, created by Nicole LaRue, a designer who worked pro bono, was shared freely with groups all over the world. Since then, Women’s March Inc. has tried to exert greater control over who can use it.

Canadian activists who held marches in solidarity with the Women’s March on Washington were outraged when American activists with Women’s March Inc. in New York registered the name Women’s March Canada and appointed a board without consulting them.

“We believe our network has shown itself to be excellent custodians of the Women’s March spirit and ethos, and respectfully request the time and space to prepare a plan to move ahead in unity and solidarity,” they wrote in an open letter to national co-chairwomen of the Women’s March on Washington.

After they did not get a response, they renamed themselves March On Canada and created the Twitter hashtag #DontTradeMarkTheMovement. They are now affiliated with, but not controlled by, March On.

Jo Reger, professor of sociology at Oakland University in Michigan, says the feminist movement, like other important social movements, has always had people coming together and then breaking apart.

“We think it looks so chaotic and full of factions and what it really looks like is every other social movement,” Dr. Reger said. “Often those factions end up coming back together later on.”

So far, the split between Women’s March and March On has not dampened the enthusiasm for marking the anniversary. Many activists in the field said they were unaware of the division. Those who are say they seek resources from both organizations: Women’s March Inc. provides a unifying vision and a national spotlight, while March On gives on-the-ground support, such as legal advice on applying for nonprofit status.