The governor is given the power to pardon and parole convicts by the Consititution of 1819, Article IV, Section II. It is the duty of the Secretary of State to maintain the "public records of the state," and "the records and the papers belonging to the General Assembly. . ." (Ala. Code, Title 3, Chapter 2, Section 73, Article 1 [1876]). This series contains information relating to the activities of the governor, the Board of Pardons (1901-1935), and the Parole Bureau (1935-1939). Listed on each certificate is the prisoner's name, crime, date convicted, sentence, the governor's name, statement approving parole, date and the name of the Secretary of State.
