A Boolean algebra B is said to be openly generated if {A: A ≤rc B, |A| = ℵ0} includes a club subset of [ B]ℵ0 . We show: (V = L). For any cardinal κ there exists an L∞κ-free Boolean algebra which is not openly generated (Proposition 4.1). (MA+(σ-closed)). Every L∞ℵa -free Boolean algebra is openly generated (Theorem 4.2). The last assertion follows from a characterization of openly generated Boolean algebras under MA+(σ-closed) (Theorem 3.1). Using this characterization we also prove (...) the independence of problem 7 in Scepin [15] (Proposition 4.3 and Theorem 4.4). (shrink)