It is shown that if A is a uniform algebra generated by a family Φ of complex-valued C 1 functions on a compact C 1 manifold-with-boundary M , the maximal ideal space of A is M , and E is the set of points where the differentials of the functions in Φ fail to span the complexified cotangent space to M , then A contains every continuous function on M that vanishes on E. This answers a 45-year-old question of Michael Freeman who proved the special case in which the manifold M is two-dimensional. More general forms of the theorem are also established. The results presented strengthen results due to several mathematicians.